The turn of the 19th century saw the dawn of Romanticism. This artistic and cultural movement was constantly striving for new ideas and new beginnings, during a particularly turbulent time in social, political and natural history. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all the romantic masters and their works today.
The reason and order of the classical period were balanced out in the romantic period by emotion and imagination. The word romanticism is derived from the French literary terms roman and romantique. Programme music uses melodies and instrumental colours to tell a story, to take the listener on a musical journey. The most prominent of all program music is undoubtedly the symphonic poem, created, explored and developed by composers such as Franz Liszt and Bedřich Smetana.
Compared to the Classical Period, the melodies of the romantic period became less and less regular and symmetrical, and the harmony more and more chromatic and dissonant. As the romantic period progressed, the possibilities of traditional tonality became more and more exhausted, and the beginning of the 20th century saw the departure from classical structure and form, and the movement towards modern and contemporary classical music.
In order to broaden the sound palate which set the mood and atmosphere for the romantic period, new instruments began to appear in the orchestra, and voices began to be deployed, choirs and soloists began to be introduced into traditional instrumental works. Throughout the 19th century, the fashion was expansion, both in music for Symphony Orchestra and in Choral Music, the forces grew and grew, far beyond the imagination of any of the classical composers of the previous century.
In the 19th century, Opera flourished, be it Italian verismo, French "Grand Opera", or Wagner’s new world of music theatre. The most important opera composers of the 19th century were Giacomo Meyerbeer, Gioacchino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Jacques Offenbach, Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi.
Score
Item no.: 430029
for: Bassoon, piano
Item no.: 205842
Romantische Operette in drei Akten
Klavierauszug mit Text
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 128212
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 162275
A Selection
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582646
Complete edition of the shorter sacred music for choir and ensembles
Musique sacrée française
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 425526
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 344072
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 217918
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 295238
with marked and unmarked string parts
Breitkopf Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 141769
National Edition – Miniature Edition
for: Piano
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 684793
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 558187
Easy Piano Pieces
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition, anthology)
Item no.: 401099
Edition without Fingering
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664059
Critical Edition of the Chamber Music volume 4
Clothbound
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Score (Hardcover), single parts
Item no.: 226447
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 607821
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 141819
for Violoncello and Pianoforte
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 679977
Music lesson book
Item no.: 585250
for: Piano
Book
Item no.: 224861
Urtext Primo – A new concept for the beginner
Edition with German and English Commentary
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 634370
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 260778
ABRSM Easier Piano Pieces 35
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 330404
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 601583
Chopin National Edition
for: Piano
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 779477
for orchestra
New Edition of the Complete Works (NBE)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 196857
His most beautiful piano pieces in a collection
Schirmer Performance Editions
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 682566
Symphony cantata MWV A 18
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1641236
Urtext
Chopin National Edition
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (2 piano's)
Item no.: 340102
Study edition commented by Alfred Cortot
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 649898
UMPC Critical Editions – Practical Series
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 774788
Critical report on all versions by Paul Hawkshaw
in English, includes detailed introduction in German
2 Books
Item no.: 636748
for: Piano
Music lesson book
Item no.: 316206
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 201324
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1023833
Second Version (1890)
Anton Bruckner Gesamtausgabe
for: Symphonic orchestra
Conductor score
Item no.: 613448
Hans von Bülow gewidmet, Ausgabe für 2 Klaviere
for: 2 pianos
Piano score
Item no.: 378356
Drame lyrique en cinq actes et douze tableaux op. 46
tiré à part de l'édition critique
Durand Œuvres Complètes de Claude Debussy
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685471
with marked and unmarked string parts
revised edition
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 486507
for violin, cello and guitar
for: Violin, cello, guitar
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 607504
Collection Quintette Moragues
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon (wind quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 150163
for: Organ
Item no.: 225260
Urtext Edition without fingering
for: Piano 4 hands
Ensemble score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401147
adapted for Great Organ
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 762529
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 2086
per canto e pianoforte
for: Voice (high), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 4070
'Auch das Schöne muss sterben'
Breitkopf Urtext
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 350903
2. Fassung 1877
Anton Bruckner Gesamtausgabe (Complete edition)
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 409798