Hector Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique Study Score
Hector Berlioz (1803–69), considered the father of modern orchestration, possessed an intuitive musical genius. A brilliant colourist and master of the unexpected rhythmic break, he brought a new symphonic richness to Romantic music. Berlioz was both damned and venerated by his contemporaries: Mendelssohn considered him devoid of talent, and Paganini declared him the one true heir to the spirit of Beethoven. The composer seems to have sought in music a way to soothe and give voice to the psychological instabilities and contradictions that more than once brought him to despair. He pioneered the development of what has come to be called "program music" — i.e., instrumental music with an extramusical significance. He strove to communicate musically the experiences, psychological themes, scenic descriptions, and literary allusions more commonly associated with the confessional writings of Romantic poets.
The "Symphonie fantastique" is a monumental piece of music, composed in 1830, that tells the story of an artist's self-destructive obsession with an unattainable love. It is renowned for its innovative orchestration, dramatic narrative structure, and vivid depiction of emotions. A Leaving Certificate exam and study piece.