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Berlioz by August Prinzhofer, 1845. Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the Symphonie fantastique and Harold in Italy, choral pieces including the Requiem and L'Enfance du Christ, his three operas Benvenuto Cellini, Les Troyens and Béatrice et Bénédict, and works of hybrid genres ...
- Julian Rushton
- 1983
- Who Was Hector Berlioz?
- Early Life
- Beginning A Career in Music
- Growing Musical Success
- Later Years and Legacy
Hector Berlioz turned his back on a career in medicine to follow his passion for music, and went on to compose works that showcased the innovativeness and search for expression that were hallmarks of Romanticism. His well-known pieces include the Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts. At the age of 65, Berlioz died in Paris on March 8, 1...
Louis-Hector Berlioz was born on December 11, 1803, in La Côte-St-André, Isère, France (near Grenoble). Hector Berlioz, as he was known, was entranced with music as a child. He learned to play the flute and guitar, and became a self-taught composer. Heeding his physician father's wishes, Berlioz went to Paris in 1821 to study medicine. However, muc...
In 1826, Berlioz enrolled at the Paris Conservatoire. The next year, he saw Harriet Smithson in the role of Ophelia and became captivated by the Irish actress. His ardor inspired the Symphonie fantastique (1830), a piece that broke new ground in orchestral expression. With its use of music to relate a story of desperate passion, it was a hallmark o...
In the 1840s, touring throughout Europe began to offer Berlioz another source of income; he was particularly appreciated as a conductor in Germany, Russia and England. When the production of another choral work, La Damnation de Faust, became a financial sinkhole after its premiere in 1846, touring again came to the rescue. Berlioz found his financi...
Following more European tours, a lonely Berlioz returned to Paris in 1868. His marriage to Smithson had not lasted, and his second wife had passed away in 1862. He had lost his only child, Louis, in 1867. At the age of 65, he died in Paris on March 8, 1869. Berlioz left behind many innovative compositions that had set the tone for the Romantic peri...
Apr 17, 2024 · Hector Berlioz was a French composer, critic, and conductor of the Romantic period, known largely for his Symphonie fantastique (1830), the choral symphony Roméo et Juliette (1839), and the dramatic piece La Damnation de Faust (1846). His last years were marked by fame abroad and hostility at home.
- Jacques Barzun
Nov 10, 2023 · Definition. Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) was the leading French composer of Romantic music, best known for his innovative Symphonie fantastique and use of large-scale orchestras and choruses in works like The Trojans opera. Berlioz's innovative style brought successes and failures in equal measure, but his lasting legacy is that he dramatically ...
- Mark Cartwright
- What is Hector Berlioz well known for?Hector Berlioz is known for being the most important French composer of Romantic music in the 19th century. His most famous work today is Symphonie...
- Why was Berlioz controversial?The composer Hector Berlioz was controversial because he used an expanded orchestra with innovative orchestration and use of instruments. His Roman...
- What did Hector Berlioz struggle with?The composer Hector Berlioz struggled to make a living and gain a reputation in Paris. He was esteemed in other countries and had some successes in...
A comprehensive and independent site devoted to the life and works of the French composer Hector Berlioz. Find information on his musical and literary compositions, travels, letters, influences, and legacy.
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Learn about the life and music of Hector Berlioz, a French composer of the Romantic era who went his own way with a bracing spontaneity and freedom. Explore his 29 opuses, from the Symphonie Fantastique to the Grande Messe Des Morts, and his flamboyant style that influenced both his creative thinking and his performing.
Sir Colin Davis (born September 25, 1927, Weybridge, Surrey, England—died April 14, 2013, London) was an English conductor, the foremost modern interpreter of the composer Hector Berlioz, whose complete orchestral and operatic works Davis recorded. Davis turned to conducting after studying clarinet at the Royal College of Music in London.
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