Symphonie Fantastique, Op.14:
1st movement. Reveries – Passions
Listening Guide
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
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.
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.
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.
150–166a
Second subject introduced and established in the key of G major at measure 160.
[Second Subject found in bars 160–166]
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.
[Heartbeat motif notations, measure seventy-eight]
358–409
Further development section continues and gradually increased tension setting up next unison section.
475–526
Coda section: The final chords musically representing the consolation of religion ending with a plagal cadence (traditional Amen progression/ending).