The 19th century was the age of Romanticism, a period in which composers sought to assert their individuality more than ever before. Yet, at the same time, there was a growing emphasis on “local color”—the use of distinctly regional elements in music. This apparent contradiction is, in a way, central to the essence of Romanticism itself. As composers pursued uniqueness, national identity became an important tool for defining their individuality.
Local color refers to the incorporation of cultural elements specific to a particular region. Romantic composers actively reflected their heritage in their music, using it as a means to distinguish themselves from others. Chopin’s mazurkas and polonaises, Smetana’s Má vlast, Grieg’s Norwegian dances, and Dvořák’s Slavonic dances are prime examples. Each composer employed the musical idioms of their homeland, but not merely as decorative gestures; instead, they transformed them into sophisticated artistic expressions. Even when drawing from similar folk traditions, their approaches varied significantly—Chopin’s mazurkas are poetic and intimate, while Dvořák’s dances capture the energy of the people. Local color, rather than being a limitation or a sign of conformity, became a means for composers to carve out their own distinct artistic identities.
This emphasis on national character was deeply tied to the broader political and social movements of the 19th century, often referred to as the “age of nationalism.” In the wake of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, nationalist sentiments surged across Europe, fueling movements for unification and independence. In regions like Bohemia and Norway, where people lived under the rule of multi-ethnic empires, music transcended its role as mere artistic expression and became a symbol of national pride. Against this backdrop, the latter half of the 19th century saw the emergence of so-called “national schools” of composition, where composers actively embraced their cultural heritage as a response to the rise of nationalism.
At the same time, however, it is important to recognize that cosmopolitanism—an international outlook on musical culture—still held significant influence in the early 19th century. In the time of Mozart and Beethoven, music was often seen as universal, developing independently of national boundaries. Even as nationalism grew, composers such as Liszt and Mendelssohn continued to pursue artistic ideals that were not necessarily tied to any one national tradition. However, as the century progressed, the question of what it meant to be unique became increasingly pressing. The pursuit of universality began to be perceived as “eclectic” or even “lacking in individuality,” leading many composers to highlight national characteristics as a way of asserting their artistic identity. In this shifting cultural landscape, nationalism left a profound mark on music, making local color an important strategy for composers to distinguish themselves.
In the end, Romantic composers navigated between two seemingly opposing forces—universality and individuality, cosmopolitanism and nationalism—as they sought their own paths of expression. The richness of 19th-century music lies in its diversity, yet there remains an unmistakable sense of “Romanticism” that ties these works together. Perhaps this is because, within this paradox, each composer ultimately forged their own unique artistic voice.
Elio – エリくん | March 8, 2010 | I love music—listening to it, playing it, and thinking about it. My instrument is the piano.
Here, I share my experiences with music, my thoughts, and the feelings it brings me.