In 19th and early 20th century Germany, a wave of modernization and progression swept across the country, bringing about a fresh new sense of culture that lined up more with the new challenges citizens were facing. As urbanization took place, people had to adjust to and keep up with the pace of a massive change in their everyday lives. Art followed this shift as well, plotting the plight of the working class through images of strife. However, it is important to recognize that this art was expressed in a multitude of mediums, not just the paintings we explored in our class time. German music was also evolving and establishing itself as a marker of culture in the pre-war era.
→ The New German School
In 1859, music journalist Franz Brendel referred to the works of Liszt, Wagner, and Berlioz as "The New German School". Prior to this wave of new music, German classics such as Beethoven relied on structure and a set of musical rules to produce pieces that stuck to the status quo of symphonic arrangements at the time. However, these three musicians were notorious for their creative harmonies, unconventional writing, and diversion from the traditional, conservative music Germany was used to. This was not an actual school, but rather a term coined to define and distinguish these progressive artists. Berlioz believed that his music had nothing in relation to Wagner's, but due simply to their creativity and risk-taking with their music, they are often discussed and analyzed together.
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| Berlioz |
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| Wagner |
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| Liszt |
→ Listen For Yourself!
Both of these songs are classical piano compositions, however, you can hear the distinct difference between the conservative work of Schumann and the more dramatic work of Liszt.
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