The orchestras during the Romantic period were substantially larger than those of earlier musical periods, such as the Baroque, Classical, and Renaissance eras.
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Renaissance (1400-1600): Orchestras as we think of them today did not exist. Music was typically performed by smaller ensembles, often with voices and instruments, and the focus was more on choral and chamber music.
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Baroque (1600-1750): The size of orchestras began to grow, particularly with the emergence of more defined instrumental groupings. Composers like Bach and Vivaldi wrote for small orchestras, often using strings, harpsichord, and occasional woodwinds and brass.
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Classical (1750-1820): Orchestras became somewhat larger, with a standard size of around 30 to 40 players. Composers like Haydn and Mozart began to use more varied instrumentation, but the orchestral size was still modest by later standards.
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Romantic (1820-1900): The Romantic period saw a significant expansion in the size of orchestras, often exceeding 100 musicians. Composers such as Wagner, Mahler, and Tchaikovsky wrote for large ensembles that included a broader range of instruments, including expanded woodwinds, brass, percussion, and sometimes even large choral forces. This trend towards larger orchestras continued into the early 20th century.
In summary, the Romantic era is characterized by significantly larger orchestras compared to previous musical periods.