One of the most iconic musical figures of the European Romantic Period is the Fr

One of the most iconic musical figures of the European Romantic Period is the French composer, Hector Berlioz (1803-1869). His Symphony Fantastique is a massive, 5-movement symphonic work dedicated to exploring, celebrating, and glorifying his own obsessive emotions. His vision was totally new – he wanted to transport listeners right into the chaos of his (often disturbing) psychological states.
Berlioz was not only a composer, but a prolific writer as well. In Symphony Fantastique, he merged these two worlds, creating both a large scale musical work, and a story to go with it – what he called a “program.” The narrative is intended to be distributed at performances, to give the listeners a roadmap, as they navigate the dynamic and surging emotions of his music.
You’ll recall that we discussed the concept of program music, or instrumental music that tells a story, with Vivaldi’s Spring. Berlioz’s approach is similar, but on a much larger and far more dramatic scale. Where Vivaldi asked listeners to imagine a beautiful pastoral scene, Berlioz’s program focuses on the depths of his own psyche. His story is a fanciful, macabre tale, with his own out-of-control emotions at the center.
To begin our exploration of Berlioz’s work, we’ll start with the program. Follow the instructions below.
INSTRUCTIONS
Read the “story” (program) of Symphony Fantastique here:
Find the reflection questions below, and write a post for this discussion which answers at least THREE of the given questions.
Reflection questions, Berlioz’s program to Symphony Fantastique:
As always, I encourage you to think critically about the topics presented below. Remember to consider the culture of this period, and how that may have impacted Berlioz’s “story.” While many of the issues in this work will seem strange to a modern reader, the assumptions about gender were typical for the time. Consider how the concept of gender has evolved, as you think about the following questions.
1. How do you feel about gender roles in this story? Is the female ever given a voice or a sense of freewill? How is she portrayed? How does that impact the story?
2. In Scene in the Fields, what causes the artist to suddenly change his emotions? Can you relate to this at all? Does this seem “normal” to you?
3. How does the artist’s vision of his idee fixe change over the course of the story? In other words, how does she look different to him at the beginning, vs. at the end? What does this say about the nature of love? Can you relate?
4. What are some ways that you feel Berlioz might have done a better job of managing his emotions? Do you feel he is “wrong” to indulge in his emotions in this way? Can you relate to him? Can you learn anything from him?
5. What is the overall meaning, message, or theme of this story and music? Can you relate? Do you feel this is helpful, or just plain self-indulgent?
6. How can art/music help us to learn about ourselves, and our emotions? What value is there in exploring emotions, through art/music?