Berlioz’s famous piece. Popular classical music.
Louis-Hector Berlioz, a master of Romanticism whose portrait once appeared on the French 10-franc note.
Among the works Berlioz created—led by the Symphonie fantastique—are many pieces inspired by literary masterpieces.
He was also a composer who anticipated the direction of Romantic music through large-scale expansions of instrumentation and a richly colorful orchestral technique.
This time, I’ve listed the works that became the starting point of Berlioz’s artistry, dividing them by movement.
I hope you’ll give them a listen.
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Masterpieces by Berlioz. Popular classical music (31–40)
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14Hector Berlioz
This piece is Berlioz’s first symphony, composed in 1830.
The hallmark of Symphonie fantastique is the “idée fixe.” While commonplace today, it was a novel concept at the time.
The work bears the subtitle “Episode in the Life of an Artist,” and it is said to have been inspired by his own experience of unrequited love.
Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath (from Symphonie fantastique), Fifth MovementHector Berlioz
The final movement of a symphony composed by Hector Berlioz at age 24.
It depicts terrifying hallucinations under the influence of opium, unfolding into a frenzied revel where witches, ghosts, and monsters gather for the protagonist’s funeral.
Amid an eerie, weighty atmosphere, the portrayal of the monsters’ dance is breathtaking.
Special violin techniques and the tolling of heavy bells vividly express a world of death and chaos.
Perfect as background music for Halloween parties or scary storytelling.
Highly recommended for those who want to enjoy spine-chilling music.
Symphonie fantastique, Movement I: Dreams, PassionsHector Berlioz
Symphonie fantastique is a piece of music that Berlioz composed based on his own heartbreak.
A morbid young musician, driven to despair by the anguish of love, attempts suicide by taking opium, but does not die; instead, the visions he experiences appear as musical images.
The first movement depicts the joy, passion, and suffering of his thoughts about the woman he loves.
ElegyHector Berlioz
A work for chorus and orchestra composed by Berlioz.
It consists of three movements.
As the title suggests, the overall mood is dark and heavy, yet the glimpses of beautiful harmony evoke a faint sense of hope.
The tense quality of the chorus at the beginning of the third movement is distinctive and captivating.
Lélio, or the Return to Life, No. 4: Song of HappinessLouis Hector Berlioz
From Lélio, or The Return to Life (Lélio, ou Le retour à la vie), Op.
14b, No.
4: Song of Happiness (O mon bonheur, ma vie).
Berlioz specifies that the Symphonie fantastique and Lélio should be performed consecutively.
Tenor solo by Michael Spyres.
Masterpieces by Berlioz: Popular Classical Music (41–50)
Symphonie fantastiqueHector Berlioz
It’s Berlioz’s first symphony.
It seems to depict the despair of unrequited love.
It begins with an opening that feels bright yet somehow tinged with heartbreak.
The music gradually builds to a climax that suggests a light touch of madness.
The mood shifts frequently, making it a piece that never grows dull to listen to.
In conclusion
We have featured Hector Berlioz, a composer of French Romantic music.
He completed his representative work, the Symphonie fantastique, at the young age of 26 and left many other outstanding pieces.
Berlioz was a composer marked by passionate love and many misfortunes: he fell in love with Harriet Smithson, an actress from an English Shakespearean troupe; later met the pianist Marie Moke; went through breakups; composed and completed the Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale; and, despite leading 200 military band musicians at its premiere on July 28, was expelled from the theater—one of many hardships he faced.
When you listen to his works while knowing the composer’s background, your impressions may change.
We hope you will continue not only with famous pieces but also to delve into composers and their works in greater detail as you listen.