Background Information

Composer: Hector Berlioz

• Born: 1803, La Côte-Saint-André, France.
• Died: 1869, Paris, France.
• Berlioz was a French Romantic composer known for his innovative orchestration and dramatic, programmatic works. He was a key figure in the development of Romantic music, blending personal expression with groundbreaking musical techniques.

Historical Context

• Composition Date: 1830.
• Premiere: December 5, 1830, at the Paris Conservatoire.
• The symphony was composed shortly after Berlioz attended a performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet, where he became infatuated with the actress Harriet Smithson, who inspired the symphony's narrative.

Text and Theme

• Programmatic Content: The Symphonie Fantastique is one of the first programmatic symphonies, telling a vivid and emotional story based on Berlioz's unrequited love for Harriet Smithson.
• Narrative: The symphony follows the protagonist, a young artist, through a series of increasingly surreal and emotional experiences, from love and longing to despair and hallucination.
• The Idée Fixe: A recurring musical theme representing the beloved, which transforms throughout the symphony to reflect the protagonist's evolving emotions.

Cultural and Musical Context

• The Symphonie Fantastique is a landmark work of the Romantic era, renowned for its use of orchestral colour, thematic transformation, and emotional intensity.
• It broke traditional symphonic forms, incorporating vivid storytelling through music.
• The work was influenced by Berlioz's obsession with Harriet Smithson and his fascination with literature, particularly Shakespeare.

Instrumentation

• The symphony features a massive orchestra, reflecting Berlioz's mastery of orchestration:
  • Strings: Violins, violas, cellos, and double basses.
  • Woodwinds: Flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons.
  • Brass: Horns, trumpets, trombones, ophicleide (an early tuba).
  • Percussion: Timpani, cymbals, bass drum, bells.
  • Special Effects: Harps and additional instruments for unique timbres (e.g., col legno bowing in the strings during the "March to the Scaffold").