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Berlioz by August Prinzhofer, 1845. Louis-Hector Berlioz [n 1] (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 ...
- 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...
Mar 4, 2024 · Hector Berlioz (born December 11, 1803, La Côte-Saint-André, France—died March 8, 1869, Paris) 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 ...
- Jacques Barzun
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Nov 10, 2023 · 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.
- 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.
Hector Berlioz, (born Dec. 11, 1803, La Côte-Saint-André, France—died March 8, 1869, Paris), French composer. He studied guitar in his early years and later studied music at the Paris Conservatoire, against his parents’ wishes. His first great score was the stormy Symphonie fantastique (1830), which became a landmark of the Romantic era.
Hector Berlioz - Composer, Orchestrator, Innovator: The outstanding characteristics of Berlioz’s music—its dramatic expressiveness and variety—account for the feeling of attraction or repulsion that it produces in the listener. Its variety also means that devotees of one work may dislike others, as one finds lovers of Shakespeare who ...
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