Symphonie Fantastique: Hector Berlioz

HOMEWORK #3

 Summary

Hector Berloiz first became fascinated with music at 12 years old while attending a communion at church where he heard the loud pipe organ for the first time. Berloiz suffered because his father was a doctor and his family did not want him to become a musician but rather achieve something more like his father. Berloiz still was given music lessons and become an accomplished flutist, drummer and guitarist. His father schooled Berloiz at home, only the beginning of his torture. When he was 16 years old he suffered from severe isolation, as well as mood swings leaving him exhausted and depressed.

Music was a great outlet for his emotions of isolation but for Berlioz his family was against it. His mother told him that all theater people were “agents of the devil” and she eventually disowned him. Obviously the lack of support from his family continued to contribute to his depression. He returned to Paris in the 1820’s to become a composer.

Berloiz was extremely interested and influenced by the works of Beethoven and Shakespeare, as well as his soon to be future wife Harriett. Harriett was an actress in a Shakespearean play whom he adored. Everything he did, his writing, his whole symphony was based on his love for Harriett. However, like many of the best of their craft (Van Gogh, for example), Berloiz was truly psychologically disturbed. Many people said his symphony was a psychological self-portrait. His fixation, or rather idée fixe with Harriett was the core to his music.

In 1830, Berloiz premiered the symphony. The symphony debuted to many mixed reviews. He decided to rewrite the piece and re-launch it in 1832. This time he invited Harriett to be in the audience. It is believed that Harriet finally realized that Symphony Fantastique was about her, and became interested in Berloiz as a lover. Although she was interested, she was very indecisive. Another proven example of Berloiz’ mental instability is when he swallowed a lethal dose of Opium and did not take the antidote until Harriett agreed to marry him. He still remained very ill, but survived. They married and had one child. As the years went by Harriett became reclusive, ultimately resulting in a separation. Eventually Harriett died, and even after her death he recognized that she was his muse.

Music

Berloiz’s music was characterized by crescendos, suspenseful, soulful, intense music where his personality ran through. Beethoven being his idol, he tried to mimic similar symphonic characteristics, particularly the characteristic pauses, sighs, menacing growling and giddy laughter.

Lots of strings are used in his symphonies including the sound of harps during an imaginary ball waltz scene in the second movement. The strings provide a warm, loving, exuberant feeling. I felt his piece was all over the place with intense despair and intense love; he really poured out his feelings, so a person can feel his self-destructive behavior.

One critic described his music as being on a “roller coaster ride-tons of commotion---panic, exhilaration, leading to a complete moment of collapse and quietness.” The roller coaster created so much exhilaration to a point of cadence, creating a complete moment of collapse and quietness. I too agree that the raw passion was evident throughout this movement.

In the first movement, the coronets and violins would answer back and forth to each other in outbursts of tempo vivo, “evoking moments of tenderness”.

The second movement Berloiz takes us to an imaginary ball where harps are introduced leading a waltz tune as dancers swirl around; “creating a bold and imaginative feeling”. In this piece the music picks up to vivo again, where I felt like I too was swirling around on the dance floor.

The third movement opens with yodeling-like music, intended to be a reminder of Berloiz’ childhood home near the Alps. Two alpine horns were playing and an oboe echoing, creating a feeling of being in the countryside of the Swiss Alps. Berlioz stated that the third movement was the most difficult to complete because of the emotional significance, bringing him back to his childhood. The narrator indicated that tremolo on the violin was used to illustrate Berlioz’ emotions, a wide sweeping range of them. Timpani drums were used to simulate a thunder-storm.

In the fourth and fifth movements, Berloiz’s sinister and obsessive behavior become more apparent through the use of cellos, basses, bassoons, clarinets and the traditional sound of a church bell indicating death; three rings pause, repeated. This creates an element of suspense. Berloiz sees himself at a funeral; Essentially the fifth movement is Berloiz seeing himself in hell.