Berlioz

Context

French composer who was highly influential in
the development of Romantic music

increased the size of the orchestra

self-taught and learnt from
textbooks

inspired by Beethoven's compositions

programme music

It tells the story of a talented artist with a lively imagination who has poisoned himself with opium in the depths of despair because of hopeless love

idée fixe, a recurring theme, which acts as a
structural foundation of the work

autobiographical and represents
Berlioz’s love of and obsession with the actress Harriet Smithson

performing forces

large symphony orchestra

ground breaking for the time

creates drama

thicker texture

range of feeling and emotion

strings are con sord at the start

At bar 17 onwards violins are instructed to play senza sordino and remove the mute

bar 17- first violins receive the instruction a punta d’arco meaning to play at the point or tip of the bow (a delicate effect).

pizz section returns to arco at around 70

double corde is shown in the score which means double stopping

strings play tremolo (e.g. bar 34, violin II, violas and cellos)

divisi writing in the strings at bar 61 with a fast tremolo

timpani player uses a mixture of leather and sponge covered sticks

produce different sounds for different emotions

semi-staccato or portato (bar 1), legato (bar 8) and staccato (bar 17)

first subject theme (idée fixe) is directed to be played canto espressivo, expressively
singing. The second subject theme is directed to be played dolce (sweetly, bar 150)

helps to define structure of the piece

shows the range of emotions he feels toward harriet smithston

emotional development with the development of the motifs

create drama

showcase a range of sounds from the orchestra

create different emotions - shows both his love and anger toward harriet smithston, perhaps his inner turmoil

idylic view of Berlioz's lover- through his eyes

range of string techniques - highlights the versatility of the strings, enables them to show a range of emotions, from sweetness and love to anger and frustration. Enables different emotions and moods to be captured

texture

highly varied and changes frequently

shows different emotions

illustrates a narrative - program music

Berlioz's emotional and unstable nature

chaotic with his love for Harriet

entire piece starts with just flutes and clarinets in octaves and they are joined by oboes, bassoons and horns to create a homophonic texture

moments of monophonic texture (e.g. bar 7)

captures the depicted innocence and sweetness associated with Harriet

unison writing with the idée fixe

shows berlioz's obsession with his lover

his love is all consuming for him - so much so he overdosed on opium

shows significant part of his life

his fixation is overwhelming both for the listener and himself

Dialogue/exchanges as the melody is passed from first violins to lower strings at bar 36

could represent his relationship with Harriet

romantic music feature - creates drama

homophonic chordal texture is presented in the Religiosamente ending

typical feature of sacred music

reconciliation with God for his obsession with Harriet and the way he treated her

asking a higher power for help, wanting to be relieved of his consuming obsession

Melody

idée fixe (a recurring theme which serves as a structural device). This theme is heard in all five movements of the work

Counter melodies are based on ascending and descending arpeggios

Melodies are often chromatic

descends in a conjunct manner with descending notes forming a ‘sigh’-like musical motif

starts on the dominant with expanding leaps of a perfect fourth, followed by a major sixth

repeated, altered down a fourth in bar 80

elements of the idee fixe used throughout the piece

typical romantic feature

creates tension

repetition

heightened emphasis

Melodies are often based on scales

Ornamentation

Some extreme leaps are used

more catchy

shows how Harriet was an idea he couldn't get out his head- like a catchy melody

technique used heavily by Beethoven who was one of his influences

adds drama to the piece

effective backdrop

shows Berlioz's disorderly and chaotic nature

extremes of emotion

shows contrast of how relationship started and how it ended

looks back on Harriet with happy memories

feeling of nostalgia

intimate feeling - Berlioz writes without bounds

no matter how much Berlioz tried to control his obsession it always followed him - even into his musical works

inescapable fixaton

Structure

sonata form preceded by a slow introduction

nod to previous classical era

perhaps Berlioz was influenced by classical composers

Exposition - 71-167, hear the idee fixe for the first time

Development - 166- 231, first subject again with repetitive ascending melodies and a different version of the 2nd subject

Recapitulation
Bars 232–end

more like a series of development sections or codas, playing with former material

idee fixe- further development

more experimental- reflective of the romantic era

Tonality

starts in C minor and finishes in c major

tonality is frequently obscured by chromaticism in the melody and harmony

bar 42 the piece modulates to A♭ major and this is followed by a long tonic pedal in
bar 46

development section starts in G major, although this is a particularly chromatic
section of the piece, which obscures the tonality

helps to establish the key amongst the chromaticism

chaotic nature of berlioz's emotions

Harmony

Chords are often diatonic and functional

lots of chromaticism

diminished seventh chords

Perfect cadences are frequent - used to confirm the modulation to a new key

tonic pedal note

Dissonance is used occasionally

Dominant seventh chords

movement ends with a series of IV–I plagal cadences

despite his romantic features Berlioz still likes to nod to the classical era - clear it had a big impact on his musical style

creates emotion and drama reflected in the narrative

experimental for the time

enforces sacred feeling in religiosmaente - cry for help, asking for mercy

uses a range of harmonic techniques- typical romantic features, creating a more dramatic and theatrical piece than his classical predecessors

Tempo, metre, rhythm

simple quadruple time signature

changes to simple duple time

tempo changes frequently throughout

rhythms are highly varied throughout

heavy use of triplets

Sextuplet semiquavers

idée fixe begins with an anacrusis

Rests and rests with pauses are used in the Introduction

fragment the melodic line
with silence and to create a feeling of uncertainty

movement concludes with rhythms of longer duration

Syncopation

dramatic effect

sense of uncertainty and uneasiness that Berlioz may have felt

nod to sacred choral music which uses longer duration notes, often taken from hymns to allow the congregation to sing along

fits with Berlioz's erratic nature

changes in emotion and mood

WL: Emilie Mayer also uses a full orchestra, creating a wide tessitura which evokes wistful emotions

WL: Emilie Mayer, symphony no. 7 - use of antiphony between sections of the orchestra, melody dominated homophony, homophonic moments, polyphony

WL: Emilie Mayer symphony no. 7

Emilie Mayer symphony no. 7 - pauses also used

Emilie mayer

WL: Emilie mayer - symphony no. 7 also uses a reoccurring theme with suspensions, sweet and flowing like idee fixe

Emilie mayer uses trills, appoggiaturas, acciaccaturas

Dvorjak symphony no. 9 op. 95 iv -

Dvorjak symphony no. 9

Dvorjak - symphony no. 9, range of themes and emotions, one of the main themes has a rit toward the end, played almost half time

Dvorak, accompiament often uses it, throws off balance

Bruckner symphony no. 2

Bruckner symphony no. 2 mostly polyphonic or melody dominated homophony

Bruckner symphony no. 2 uses large leaps especially in accompliment parts

Bruckner symphony no.2

Bruckner symphony no. 2 - legato passages

Dvorak symphony no. 9 - muted strings as accompiament

Dvorak symphony no. 9 - 2nd movement in c sharp minor - desolate and nostalgic mood