Orchestral 19th-century classical music, often referred to as the Romantic period was a time of profound transformation and expansion in the symphonic form, orchestration, and expressive depth.

Key characteristics of 19th-century orchestral music include the expansion of the orchestra in size and instrumentation. Composers embraced emotional expression through lush melodies, dramatic contrasts in dynamics, and chromaticism, while the tone poem emerged as a new orchestral form.

Works by composers such as Beethoven, Berlioz, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner exemplify the Romantic period's focus on innovation, emotional depth, and orchestral color.