Patrick Conlon

Adv. Orchestration
Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique

Using the Verlag & Hartel Edition (no measure numbers)

What appears to be the composer’s intent in creating this work?

Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique is the epitome of a programmatic work. It includes the

idée fix – a musical motive that is directly representative of “the beloved one”. In real
life this was the English actress Harriet Smithson, whom he eventually (after stalking)
enjoyed a brief and tumultuous relationship with.

Berlioz included with it a program that actually stated what was happening in each
movement. The entirety of the work is that of a gifted and talented artist who has
poisoned himself with opium out of despair with not getting together with “the beloved
one”. The rest of the movements follows a series of visions that the drugged protagonist
experiences.

The first movement acts as the “falling in love” with the beloved one and the daydreams
and passions that the protagonist feels.

The second movement is the artist finding himself at a ball, yet as the peaceful scene goes
on he continually sees the beloved one.

The third movement involves the artist “taking the cure” and going off in the countryside.
He enjoys some peace until slowly thoughts of the beloved one show up and a storm
begins.

The fourth movement is where the artist, believing the relationship out of his reach, takes
a fatal dose of opium. He dreams that he has killed his beloved one, and is at the
scaffolds and is to be killed.

The fifth movement involves the descent into hell, the beloved one’s ghastly spectre, and
the witches orgy.

The piece acts as a sort of opera without words.

 Patrick Conlon

What are the significant timbral/textural techniques at play in achieving the above
described intent? Cite specific examples from the score with measure numbers
along with the score edition being used. Provide a rationale for each citation.

Mvt1:
Focuses on MUCH back and forth between the strings and winds (on almost every page
of the score). Even within the strings he plays mostly on partial textures that act as
different choirs.

Has instructions in the score which were not just tempo markings ect. At the
Religiousamente he actually says “the whole orchestra as soft as possible” as an
instruction directly to the conductor.

Uses sponge headed drum sticks for the timpani (first time).

Also, gives the violas many important notes, such as at 4 bars after rehearsal 16. Violas
were still not prominent.

Finally, begins his obsession with 3 against 2 at rehearsal 16 as well. This could be seen
as a newer technique that fully surfaces later in Brahms.

Mvt 2:

This movement really foreshadows the Russian orchestration techniques that would later
come with Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. He uses the lower section of the orchestra
extremely sparingly, yet has a very busy treble part that creates a light but busy sound.

The use of two harps was also innovative within the orchestra. He is using elements
usually seen outside the orchestra and bringing in non-symphonic instruments.

This movement is the most conservatively orchestrated movement with the exception of
the lack of any constant bass sound. This set the stage for Russian orchestration to
appear with Tchaikovsky and others.

Mvt 3:

Right off the get-go, the use of an oboe backstage was innovative. Then he has the oboe
player return at reh 37. This was to represent two shepherds calling to each other.

He has not 1, not 2, not 3!!!, but four timpanists in this movement.

His reintroduction of the idée fix, like at reh 47. This sort of cyclic symphonic writing
was reminiscent of Beethoven but here he focuses on it for programmatic reasons.
 Patrick Conlon

Mvt 4:

Again the use of the sponge headed sticks – this time even more specific as he says which
hand should play which note on the timpani.

The timpani actually has the motive at the beginning of this movement.

3 after reh 50 he gives the cellos and basses a hugely important melody. H ethen expands
this to the violas a deux, which is truly innovative use of the low strings.

In 53 his creation of a wind band with only minimal accompaniment from the strings.

At the double bar 12m before 54 Berlioz creates a back and forth texture that really
exemplifies French orchestration.

At 54 the use of 3 against 2 and low fast rhythms to create a muddy texture, preferring
colour to clarity of line.

This continues at 56 in even more obvious fashion with the muddy grace notes in the
strings and the sextuplets in the winds.

The importance of percussion eight before reh 57, and the importance of the cellos and
basses with the melody.

2 after reh 59, the sudden emergence of the idée fix in the clarinet is a sort of unheralded
new thing to do. Programmatic use of orchestration, followed by the head rolling
pizzicato at the rall. Poco a tempo.

Then the final chord in the timpani, where the menace of the ending comes clear through
the low, almost dissonant voicing of the chord.

Mvt 5:

From the very beginning, the use of the timpani to accent the basses and cellos, and also
the purely sound based gesture of the downward six-tuplet strings.

1 before reh 60, the muddy sound in the cellos and basses and the contrast with the
winds.

1 after Reh 60, the flutes and oboes sliding down to essentially create quarter tones that
are out of tune followed by the horn doing the same thing.

In the allegro after reh 62, the use of the clarinet as “distant” and also the use of those
grace notes to force it to sound ugly.

The timpani at the same place having such prominence.

 Patrick Conlon

At the allegro assai, the pure chaose that he creates with purposeful 3 against 2 and
juxtaposed rests and playing is truly a new sound.

At reh 63 the use of the C clarinet, along with that odd limping bassoon part.

The violas 12 after reh 63 that have such a prominent role against the cellos in that
accompaniment.

After reh 65 the use of the low strings and bassoon and then the viola solo 16 after.

The use of the bells is obviously another example of him pulling out sound from life and
inserting them for dramatic and immediate response.

Ditto his inclusion of the dies irae.

In the witches round dance his focus on the lower strings again in the beginning, with
violins just accompanying.

Viola solo 8 after reh 77.

What are the significant historical performance practice or technological issues or

concerns that impact the realization of this work?

The main thing I would focus on is to play the piece as Berlioz wanted it played, not as
he actually got it played in his time. Berlioz had a distinct vision in mind of what he
wanted, and was actually ahead of his time in his expectations of the orchestra. With that
in mind, doing a period performance of the piece seems to me to go against the wishes of
the composer. I would follow the directions using modern technique as much as possible.

The only caveat I would say would be to not include the cornet part. To me it was really
just a marketing trick and would take away from the overall setting of the piece. None of
us think that part is impressive anymore, and therefore even the flash and trash nature of
its inclusion would fail in a modern performance.

What size string section would you recommend?

Berlioz created the Modern orchestra. I would recommend as many strings as possible.
This is a big piece and needs big sounds.