Understanding Music: Past and Present - Symphonie Fantastique, Op.14: 1st movement. Reveries

Understanding Music: Past and Present

Symphonie Fantastique, Op.14:

1st movement. Reveries – Passions

Listening Guide

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Performed by The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier

Composer: Hector Berlioz

Composition: Symphonie Fantastique, Op.14: 1st movement. Reveries – Passions

Date: 1830

Genre: Symphony, First movement

Form: Sonata form

Performing Forces: large Romantic symphony orchestra

What we want you to remember about this composition:

The largo (slow) opening is pensive and expressive, depicting the depression, the joy, and the fruitless passion Berlioz felt. It is followed by a long and very fast section with a great amount of expression, with the idée fixe (a short recurring musical theme/motive associated with a person, place or idea) indicating the appearance of his beloved.
The title for the movement is "Dreams, Passions." It represents his uneasy and uncertain state of mind. The mood quickly changes as his love appears to him. He reflects on the love inspired by her. He notes the power of his enraged jealousy for her and of his religious consolation at the end.

Other things to listen for

Berlioz is known for being one of the greatest orchestrators of all time. He even wrote the first comprehensive book on orchestration. He always thought in terms of the exact sound (tone or timbre) of the orchestra and the mixture of individual sounds to blend through orchestration. He gave very detailed instructions to the conductor and individual performers in regards to articulations and how he wanted them to play. Listen to the subtleties and nuance of the performance. Berlioz left little up to chance since he was so thorough in his compositions.

Timing

Measure (bar) numbers

Form, Melody, and Texture

00:12

3–6

The introductory four-bar phrase played by the violin one forms the basis for the following three phrases to bar sixteen, most of the music being played on muted strings. Here the composer portrays both depression and elation.

1:45

17–71

The key changes from C major to E♭ major to C minor and finally arriving to C major with a cadence in measure 62.

5:30

72–111

Exposition—Allegro

He sees his beloved and is overcome with many different emotions.

First subject—idée fixe—played by the flute and first violin.[Subject/idée fixe, bars 72–111]The major key of C is established by dominant pedal point.

6:33

133–149

Transition section that provides rising tension in the approach to the dominant.

6:47

150–166a

Second subject introduced and established in the key of G major at measure 160.

[Second Subject found in bars 160–166]

8:36

167–228

Development Section—this section includes recapitulations and further developments. Two new motifs (musical segments) are featured in this section of the first movement. The first has become known as the "sigh motif." This motif musically represents the sighing figure of a long note followed by a shorter note.

[Sigh motif notations, measure 87.]

The second motif has become known as the "heart beat motif." It is heard as a pair of detached pulses/quavers. These are brought out dynamically (volume emphasis) and represent heartbeats.