Romantic music was the favorite genre of the 19th century. Various elements influenced Romantic compositions during this time, including nationalism, pride, money, and social constraints. There was also the introduction of more recent and varied orchestration. Additionally, a characteristic that implied that a musical work was romantic was that there was tension in the climax rather than release. One composer who stands out during this period is Johannes Brahms, a traditionalist who wanted to honor German musical customs while creating innovative romantic symphonies. Brahms continued the classical traditions of Beethoven in the 18th century in the four symphonies he composed in the 19th century, making them classical in structure but romantic in tone. Composed in 1883, Brahms' Third Symphony in F major stands out as one of his defining pieces, composed at a time when he was reaching his musical maturity. The first movement of this piece occupied a special place in the symphonic tradition of the 19th century. it opens with an uplifting theme, which returns until the coda with a careful restraint that is characteristic of Brahms' classical approach in romantic contexts. Although Symphony no. 3 is allowed to be in F major, the first movement opens with a dramatic three-chord motif (F-Ab-F) in minor. It then moves to the formal F major and after the vigorous opening, this main theme, measures number three to fourteen, continues with an energetic momentum that characterizes much of the symphony. The secondary theme is then introduced in the A major development, which sets a lighter tone. The theme is explored and developed throughout with frequent modulations...... middle of paper ...... innovative sound. Many of Brahms' compositional techniques involved a marriage of various methods, often 18th-century Beethovenian influences. With Beethoven as his ultimate idol, Brahms was considered by composers such as Schumann as the savior of 19th-century German music. That of Beethoven constitutes in a way a model for the Symphony no. 3 in the sense that each movement takes the main themes, untangles them and develops them to create a single musical work that is musically unified. Although not as complex or grandiose as that of , Brahms' symphonic composition methodology seems to mirror that of Beethoven in many respects. Effectively transferring traditions from the 18th century to the 19th century, Brahms's contributions to the symphonic tradition were paramount and he remains one of the most innovative virtuosos and composers of his time..