Leaderboard

I think OP wants to learn about the harmonic tendencies and practices of Romantic composers rather than chromatic harmony more generally, which covers a lot of styles, hence the choice of "Romantic" over "Chromatic". As for learning this style of Harmony, I highly recommend analysing works from the period (as others have suggested) or (if you're lazy like me) watching YouTube videos analysing works from the period.

Updated score.

@Colenbacher Hello I understand your question very well. And I also understand that the answers aren't exactly what you're looking for. Although I agree with them as well. I believe that rather than learning harmony from the Romantic period, what matters is learning the compositional techniques that the composers of this period introduced and used (not just in terms of harmony). It’s absolutely true that to understand this, you need to start by knowing what happened in earlier periods, at least from the Baroque through the Style Galant and Classicism. Because many Romantic techniques are reinventions (“recycled”) of all those earlier styles. I don’t think you’ll find specific sections on Romantic harmony in general treatises and books. I’ve had that curiosity, and interest as well. But I studied the Baroque and the Galant period quite extensively, above all. I even started much earlier with the cantus firmus. And that historical and chronological perspective has helped me immensely in understanding even contemporary music. With this, you’ll see that everything is a continuum; even periods that broke quite sharply with what came before (Impressionism, dodecaphonism) are the result of an evolution. So, just as I did with other periods, I sought out the sources myself and compiled a lot of information on this topic on my blog. First, I provided a general overview, which I’ve transcribed here, and then I analyzed techniques such as augmented chords and modulation, secondary subdominants, dominant chains, chromatic thirds, (traditional) linear techniques, irregular resolutions, and so on. Not to mention that Romanticism is a vast genre and that each composer, moreover, has their own peculiarities. Brahms has nothing in common with Chopin. And let’s not even get started on late Romanticism. Some words from my blog: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROMANTIC PERIOD *New forms: symphonic poem, song cycle, music drama, *Study of the folk-heritage in music and imitation of folk-like melodic simplicity, *Predilection for exotic effects through employment of foreign national coloring or the folkloristic heritage (Chopin, Tchaikovsky, the Russians) [Chopin's more than 50 mazurkas represent one of the earliest examples of overt nationalistic sentiments in music], *Break-up of stylistic unity but more individualism, *Higher interest in melody and color rather than harmony and form, longer melodies *Higher dissonances and a freer employment of them, * More use of dynamics and articulations, * Rubato, *A more innovative treatment of chromatic harmony, *Extensive use of diminished seventh chords, *Modulation to distant tonalities, *Use of relations by thirds, *Greater interest in modal techniques (flat seventh [common to many modes], flat second [Phrygian], augmented fourth [Lydian]), *Assimilation of older elements, especially the revival of polyphony and Baroque forms under the influence of JS Bach [Mendelssohn, Brahms], *Thematicism plays a more important role in a sonata movement than tonality, *Thematic metamorphosis: A programmatic approach to composition often associated thematic material with a character or idea. Changing circumstances or emotional states were represented by the transformation of the thematic material (as in Faust Symphony or Symphony Fantastique), *Cell development technique in nationalist music, (music cell = small and melodioc design that can be isolated) *Use of a cyclic device: Material from one movement recurs in another (a technique related to thematic metamorphosis, idee fixe and leitmotive) (Serenade for Strings by Tchaikovsky; Mendelssohn's Eb string quartet; Beethoven's Symphony No.9), *Manipulation of sonata form, including mosaic and additive structures. More organic treatment of the form, *Postludes in the Lieder (especially by Schumann), *Unity on a large scale: merging of separate movements into a single span (Liszt's Sonata in B minor), larger instrumentations, *Finishing a minor mode piece in major (from darkness to light): Egmont overture, Symphony No.5 & 9 , Piano Sonatas Opp.90 & 111, and the second act of Fidelio by Beethoven; Schumann's Fourth Symphony; Franck's Symphony in D minor; Brahms' s First Symphony. *Intense energy and passion, dramatic opera,

For these competitions, can you send in more than one entry?

Entry: Chnese Fuge Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 5 5 1 10 10 n/a 1 5 Average Score:5.2 Review: Execution: Failed to meet the meet time requirement of the challenge. It would not pass the first round! Form: this supposed to be fugue? All three voices start all the same time... Score: the score was presented in clean manner. There were no errors that I saw. Playability; I can not judge this area because of instrumentation. Creativity: It was creative and original Texture: There were unique themes from each instruments that interacted each other. This is not a fugue. But more imiition. Taste: It is interesting to see a different take on what fugue is. But i was confused by it? I felt lost... :( Themes: Each instrument had unique theme,

Yes please make sure you submit on time! I want to make sure I can review and scores objectively.

Hello, Little fugue i wrote today in the north german baroque style. First musical output in years. Simple in harmony, joyful and melodic in theme and counterpoint. Scored for four voices, work well enough with organ or strings. Fuga in g.mp3 Fuga in G.pdf

Fair point. His later works were more chromatic. See, the correct word you guys want is not "romantic' but "chromatic". During the 19th century, composers used modal mixture, 9ths, etc.

Hello @Aiwendil Review: Let us talk about what a trio is. In a piano trio, you have two solo players and a piano player. When I listen to your piece, i did not hear two solo string players. I heard multiple. They sound different. Next thing you want to check is balance. I feel that FF is too loud a trio. The background elements will overpower the foreground. You do not want that. I would suggest remove the dynamics for now. The thematic material the proceeds b.19 confuses me. what is the purpose for that section? So much empty in the solo strings. 10 measures of inactivity. I suggest removing those bars and start at 68. :) Then place the first ending repeat at b. 122. the second ending where femata is! in other words, look where this no activity in the piece and re arrange it. :) You will be amazed what will happen. :)