The symphonie fantastique was initially composed in 1830 and first performed in december of the same year under the direction of habeneck. Symphonie fantastique by hector berlioz from amazons classical music store. The composition of this revolutionary masterpiece marked a breakthrough in the composers career, at once the culmination of his years of apprenticeship, and the starting point of his mature work as a symphonic composer. The hopeless romantics guide to nineteenth century program music 1 inspired by the great philosophers, poets and storytellers of his day, berlioz was one of the first composers who sought to merge drama and music into a single genre through the medium of his own creative and highly innovative soundscape. Lorin maazels symphonie fantastique, one of telarcs earliest recordings, sounds spectacular in this new sacd release. This work, with its recurring basic theme, departed from. Symphonie fantastique by jessica macfarland on prezi. Hector berlioz 180369, considered the father of modern orchestration, possessed an intuitive musical genius. Louishector berlioz 11 december 1803 8 march 1869 was a french romantic composer. Liner notes are reprinted with permission of the author and the publisher from berlioz and the romantic century, atlantic monthly press book, published by little, brown and company, boston, 1950. Berlioz, berlioz book, berlioz symphonie fantastique score, berlioz symphonie. List of books and articles about hector berlioz online.
Symphonie fantastique and harold in italy in full score book. Celebrated conductor michael tilson thomas returns to conduct a work by berlioz and a new score of his own. Dream of a witches sabbath is the title of the fifth movement of hector berlioz s downight cinematic symphonie fantastique. In hector berliozs symphonie fantastique, he imagines his own march to the guillotine. Scan the qr code or copy the address below into your wallet to send bitcoin. In symphonie fantastique, berlioz eschewed rigorous allegiance to tradition to create what, to any early critics, must have seemed like a selfindulgent score. Carolina ballets new world premiere is simply fantastique. Lp, rp deutsche grammophon, deutsche grammophon, deutsche grammophon. Berlioz symphonie fantastique the hector berlioz website. Dec 07, 2011 the fifth movement from berlioz s symphonie fantastique.
The symphonie fantastique has always been the work with which berlioz s name is most closely associated. Complete your berlioz, ataulfo argenta, the paris conservatoire orchestra collection. Berlioz s symphonie fantastique is performed well here by riccardo muti and the philadelphia orchestra. Berlioz london symphony orchestra, colin davis berlioz london symphony orchestra, colin davis symphonie fantastique op. Aug 09, 20 berlioz symphonie fantastique mariss jansons conductor bavarian radio symphony orchestra proms festival 20, london royal albert hall mariss jansons 70th birthday this year god bless the. For a year he wrestled with bouts of feverish excitement and insomnia, interspersed with blank intervals of exhaustion and depression. Oct 27, 2016 then hector berliozs symphonie fantastique is the vvitch. Symphonie fantastique and harold in italy in full score by. This one should be heard for a great concept of the fantastique.
Symphonie fantastique and harold in italy in full score. This one is considerably fleeter of tempi, though restricted of sound, while the other would be spacious, with an almost lush sound, but without the full diabolical measure which went into this one berlioz. At 92, the man who wrote the book on berlioz resumes his case. Berlioz recalls the premiere of symphonie fantastique 1870 in his memoirs 1870, berlioz left behind a lively and amusing recollection of the. Enjoy a performance from january of berlioz s symphonie fantastique. Berlioz however revised the work extensively during his trip to italy in 18312 and in subsequent years and did not publish it until 1845. Solid silver disc center, no plastic ring, no ifpi. It has one core repertoire work, the symphonie fantastique, along with 3 much more rarely heard works, of which more anon. The fifth movement from berlioz s symphonie fantastique. Yet further incentive to acquire a terric account of the symphonie fantastique. An episode in the life of an artist, in five parts, op.
Largo allegro agitato e appassionato assai religiosamente. Miniature score and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. The tucson symphony orchestra presents hector berlioz symphonie fantastique on oct. Berlioz s symphonie fantastique is easily one of the classical repertoires war horses certainly, the bizarre and familiar programmatic story line, centering around the composers infatuation with actress harriet smithson, coupled with the works colorful orchestration and, occasionally, bombastic tone make it one of those works that has. The love story behind berliozs symphonie fantastique. But the other book with which berlioz was obsessed during the. Berlioz then wrote symphonie fantastique as a way to express his unrequited love. An episode in the life of an artist, in five parts op.
In 1830 so more than forty years before saintsaens 1874, and sixty years before dvorak 1893, hector berlioz a young, redheaded french. Complete authoritative scores of two romantic symphonic masterpieces show extramusical themes of program music and intuitive genius, shakespearean passion of berlioz. Philippe quint violin, utah symphony, utah symphony chorus, university of utah chamber choir, thierry fischer. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems. The first performance was at the paris conservatoire in. I remember in the early 50s it must have been the first longplaying recording of berliozs symphonie fantastique, i think was by eduard van. He rented rooms near her and sent her letters but to no avail. Hector berlioz december 11, 1803 march 8, 1869 was a french romantic composer, conductor, music critic and author, best known for his compositions symphonie fantastique and grande messe des morts requiem. Symphonie fantastique to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it to another music lover.
Music examples and charts illustrate the analyses, and each essay. The idea, then, of them performing berlioz s symphonie fantastique sets alarm bells ringing. Operas les francsjuges, h 23 benvenuto cellini, h 76 les troyens, h 3 beatrice et benedict, h 8. Berlioz provided his own preface and program notes for each movement of the work. The entire symphony pierces my heart, rouses my soul, inflames my imagination, activates my adrenaline and has me fixated in my seat, spellbound, through the final wild, cacophonous climax. Symphonies symphonie fantastique, h 48 harold en italie, h 68 romeo et juliette, h 79 grande symphonie funebre et triomphale, h 80.
The symphonie fantastique comes first on the album. At 92, the man who wrote the book on berlioz resumes. In the first movement of the symphony, the orchestra as led by muti performs the music in a heartfelt and passionate fashion. Symphonie fantastique by hector berlioz on amazon music. Buy royal concertgebouw orchestra amsterdams album titled berlioz. A brilliant colorist and master of the unexpected rhythmic break. Symphonie fantastique 4th movement essay 494 words. Through its movements, it tells the story of an artists selfdestructive passion for a beautiful woman. His output includes orchestral works such as the symphonie fantastique and harold in italy, choral pieces including the requiem and lenfance du christ, his three operas benvenuto cellini, les troyens and beatrice et benedict, and works of hybrid genres. The symphonie fantastique has always been the work with which berliozs name is most closely associated. Symphonie fantastique jessica macfarland symphonie fantastique fourth movement the first musical experience into psychedelia because of its hallucinatory and dreamlike nature leonard bernstein composed in 1830 five movement program sympho 1st. It begins with an introduction in three parts, marked largo, then allegro, followed by the sounding of bells.
His last years were marked by fame abroad and hostility at home. In 1829, at the age of twentyfive, hector berlioz was gripped by a strange and harrowing nervous condition. Well, their performance doesnt have the glorious technicoloured brightness of roger. Berliozs symphonie fantastique is about running into your. It is an important piece of the early romantic period, and is popular with concert audiences worldwide. Hector berlioz has 2 books on goodreads with 2083 ratings. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
The most innovative symphony of the 19th century was born from diabolical passions. Buy a cheap copy of berlioz book by louis hector berlioz. Conductor jader bignamini will take part in the comments today, and we have some special bonus material for you today. Symphonie fantastique is an epic for a huge orchestra. The work as we now know it is thus substantially different from the original of 1830, which can no longer be reconstructed in full detail. The halloweenness of berliozs symphonie fantastique. Drawing on various themes dear to the early romantic movement of the 1820s, the symphonie fantastique turned the rules of a classical symphony on their head to better serve berlioz s intentions. Berlioz symphonie fantastique 1830 this fivemovement symphony, inspired by smithson, deals with the passions aroused by a woman. Work analysis 20 hector berlioz symphonie fantastiq.
This work, with its recurring basic theme, departed from traditional symphonies in its loose form and highly. Berlioz symphonie fantastique mariss jansons conducts. I read it incessantly, at meals, in the theatre, in the street. The enhanced clarity of the original 50khz recording projects the cleveland orchestras supervirtuoso playing with even more impact. I remember in the early 50s it must have been the first longplaying recording of berlioz s symphonie fantastique. Berlioz employs a recurring melody, which he called the idee fixe fixed idea the theme appears in each movement representing the heros beloved. In 1830 his symphonie fantastique was first performed in paris, marking a bold new development in program music. The composition is also notable for its expanded orchestration, grander. Oct 03, 2016 berlioz went on to write various works inspired by shakespeare, including romeo et juliette and beatrice et benedict, and his infatuation with smithson inspired his great symphonie fantastique. Berlioz symphonie fantastique wcd trax music store.
Symphonie fantastique project gutenberg selfpublishing. Harriet did not attend the premiere in 1830, but she heard the work in 1832 and realized berliozs genius. Aug 19, 2014 something a little different this week. Carolina ballets artistic director robert weiss and choreographerinresidence zalman raffael have done it again with symphonie fantastique. Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his treatise on instrumentation 1844.
This marvellous book fascinated me from the first, berlioz wrote in his memoirs. Berlioz had been fascinated by goethes take on the faust legend when he read the germans work in 1828. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Berlioz recalls the premiere of symphonie fantastique 1870. Hector berlioz symphonie fantastique tucson music hall. He abandoned medical study to enter the paris conservatory as a composition student. Many of the unsealed promos were never played, or at most played once or twice.
The symphonie fantastique is one of fischers fortes. Fischer incorporates several points of interpretation that generally mark as favorable in my book. Symphonie fantastique is a piece of program music that tells the story of an artist gifted with a lively imagination who has poisoned himself with opium in the depths of despair because of hopeless, unrequited love. In his fantasy symphony, the young berlioz bared his soul in music torturing himself with the extreme passion he felt for his beloved. Symphonie fantastique and harold in italy in full score dover. In 1830 berlioz cemented his reputation as a musical radical with the premiere of symphonie fantastique, his. Celebrated conductor michael tilson thomas returns to conduct one of berlioz s big hits and a new score of his own. Opium and the symphonie fantastique in 1829, at the age of twentyfive, hector berlioz was gripped by a strange and harrowing nervous condition. Ive been reading a book by thomas forrest kelly called first nights, which details five historic premieres of classical music.