How did Romantic-era criticism differ from earlier rule-based musical criticism?

Musical criticism underwent a significant transformation during the Romantic era, shifting away from the rigid, rule-based academicism that characterized the 17th and 18th centuries.1

Earlier criticism was defined by an obsessive interest in musical rules, often judging compositions primarily by how well they adhered to theoretical standards. Critics of that period, such as Johann Mattheson and Johann Adolph Scheibe, frequently castigated composers for perceived technical failures, such as improper word setting.1

In contrast, Romantic-era criticism moved into an age of description. Influenced by a literary outlook, Romantic composers and critics—including Schumann, Liszt, and Berlioz—often viewed music as the embodiment of poetic or literary ideas. This approach favored subjective, descriptive language to evoke the moods and feelings inspired by the music. While this era allowed for deep, perceptive insights—such as Robert Schumann’s influential essays in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik—it was also criticized for being overly descriptive, with some arguing that such writing became redundant once the music itself was known.12

This descriptive trend was eventually challenged in the mid-19th century by Eduard Hanslick, who advocated for the autonomy of music and a more analytical approach.1