At the beginning of the nineteenth century, classical music, like the literature and art of the time, made a shift toward more expressive, flowing compositions. The later works of Beethoven fomented this change; in particular, his Ninth Symphony altered the rules of harmony far beyond the innovations of the classical era. Meanwhile, other composers like Frederic-Francois Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Franz Peter Schubert, Gustav Mahler, Franz Liszt, Hugo Wolf, and Richard Wagner experimented with shifting tonal centers and more dissonant harmonies, while also incorporating new song forms and elements of folk music into their work.

Notable Artists: Frederic-Francois Chopin, Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms