Berlioz’s Romantic Expression.
ANSWER
Berlioz’s “Symphonie Fantastique” indeed caused quite a stir when it was first performed, and the reactions it elicited can offer insights into what Berlioz was trying to achieve with this composition.
- Expressing Emotion and Romanticism: Berlioz was a typical Romantic artist in the sense that he aimed to express intense emotions and personal experiences through his music. The symphony’s autobiographical elements, particularly his infatuation with Harriet Smithson, reflect the Romantic idea of artists wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Romantic composers often used their music as a medium to convey their innermost feelings and experiences, and “Symphonie Fantastique” is a prime example of this.
- Pushing Boundaries: The shock and uproar the symphony caused can also be seen as Berlioz’s intent to push the boundaries of music and art. He was not content with conventional compositions and sought to break new ground. By incorporating a detailed programmatic narrative into the symphony and making it explicitly autobiographical, Berlioz was challenging traditional symphonic norms and experimenting with new forms of musical expression.
- Obsession and Artistic Expression: While Berlioz may have appeared obsessed with Harriet Smithson, it can be argued that his obsession served as a powerful source of artistic inspiration. His emotional intensity and fixation on her became the driving force behind the symphony, allowing him to channel his emotions and experiences into his music. In this sense, he was using music as a means of catharsis and self-expression, which aligns with the Romantic idea of the artist as a passionate and often tormented soul.
Regarding how Harriet Smithson is represented in “Symphonie Fantastique,” the Keeping Score Berlioz website would provide specific insights. However, in general, the symphony portrays her as the object of the composer’s infatuation and desire. She is depicted as the “beloved” in the symphony’s narrative, with her theme recurring throughout the piece to symbolize the composer’s obsession with her. Her representation in the music underscores the emotional intensity and turmoil experienced by Berlioz during this period of his life.
To provide a more detailed analysis of her representation, you should refer to the specific information available on the Keeping Score Berlioz website.
QUESTION
Description
Week 3 Listening Discussion PROMPT:
- Go to the Keeping Score Berlioz page (link: http://www.pbs.org/keepingscore/berlioz-symphonie-fantastique.html (Links to an external site.)) and read the summary to assist you in responding to these prompts below.
- Berlioz’s “Symphonie Fantastique” was so novel and so shocking—for its program and its music—that it immediately caused an uproar, in the press, from other composers, even from Berlioz’s friends. Many, finding the story distasteful, were aghast that a composer would put into music something so explicitly autobiographical. What can these reactions tell us about what Berlioz was trying to do? Was he a typical Romantic artist wearing his heart on his sleeve? Or was he an obsessed, crazy man using music for some diabolical purpose.
- Using the Keeping Score Berlioz website from the link above, how do you think Harriet Smithson is represented in Symphonie Fantastique?
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