Berlioz (FRE) (1 janv. 1803 – 1 janv. 1869)

Description:

“unity of subject matter and artistic purpose over unity of musical means.” Gave every idea its proper musical setting according to its literacy, pictorial or suggestive content. Constructed new forms and musical genres to achieve this. No chamber music, no solo piano music. Not a miniaturist like Chopin or Schumann, more similar to Liszt in terms of programmatic symphonic works. Most famous for his operas, symphonies, symphonic works with chorus, and art songs (Le nuits d’été). Berlioz was greatly influenced by Romantic writers like Wolfgang von Goethe and also Shakespeare and Virgil. Berlioz would use their writings as inspiration for both programmatic music and operas.

Berlioz was largely self-taught as a composer in his youth until he started attending the Paris Conservatoire. He is known for his unique orchestration and wide spacing of parts. He is famous for his idée fixe - a musical theme that appears throughout a work in its normal form and in variation and is a main feature of Symphonie fantastique. Inspired other composers like Liszt’s “thematic transformations” and Wagner’s “leitmotif.” Berlioz was also greatly influenced by Beethoven and his use of chorus in his 9th symphony. Berlioz is also unique as a composer in the way that he uses themes, syncopated rhythms, sectional forms, idiosyncratic use of harmony, and multi-movement programmatic symphonies. In his works and especially the Grande messe des morts, Berlioz uses a free counterpoint that is not over strict and often features a fugato section and with free harmonizing over a subject.

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