Symphonie fantastique mov 1 -Berlioz

• Harmony


  • Functional harmony with a strong
• Harmonic effects used by Berlioz

  • Berlioz uses 7ths and 9ths freely
  • Dissonance intensified by suspended C
  • Stream of first inversions chords
• Slow Introduction (Largo)

  1. Theme from Estelle et Némorin

  2. Extension with Ab pedal

  3. New melodic material combined with triplets

  4. Allegro agitato e appassionato assai
• Much of the melodic writing is related to the idée fixe
• Tonality and structure

  1. Slow introduction in a loose ternary form with extension

  2. Allegro initially suggesting sonata form

  3. Exposition repeated with modulation from tonic to dominant

  4. Scheme subjected to numerous modifications evolving freely
• Further listening


  • Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, The Pastoral
  • Liszt, The Faust Symphony
  • Richard Strauss, Ein Heldenleben
  • Shostakovich, Symphonies No. 11 (The Year 1905) and No. 12 (The Year 1917)
• Second subject is a variant of the opening of the first subject
• Harmony


  • Functional harmony, with a strong drive to cadences
  • Unusual III -I progression marking the end of the main allegro at bars 490-491
  • Plagal, both inverted (bars 511-513) and root position (bars 519-521)
  • Pedals, the most intriguing of which is the Ab from bars 46-59, supporting variously: Diminished 7th, G minor, Diminished 7th again, D chord, E major, C minor
  • Appoggiaturas
  • Contrasts of broken chord figures and step movement
  • Use of rising sequence to build a climax
  • Chromaticism
  • Fluctuations in t
  • The fact that sig
• Later in the movement a new line, heard in counterpoint to fragments of the idée fixe, appears on oboe

  violin I continuation
• Bars 150-154


  • flute and clarinet
• The first theme

  • Bars 3-16
• The idée fixe itself

  • Bars 71-111
• Appoggiaturas


  The extremely detailed dynamics marks
• Much of the melody in the second subject is
• Bars 358-367


  • violin I continuation
• Fluidity unde
• Berlioz's lyric gifts are clear in this movement with melodic lines that unfold easily, often with asymmetrical phrasing
• Tempo, metre and rhythm


  • Slow introduction followed by Allegro agitato e appassionato assai
  • Frequent variations in tempo
  • Metre changes from simple quadruple to 'cut common'
  • Notably varied rhythmic values used
• Texture types

  • Melody dominated homophony
  • Homorhythm (chords)
  • 'Layered' with different instruments playing different parts
  • Monophonic announcement of idée fixe
  • Melody frequently found in bass instruments
  • Octave woodwinds answered by octave strings
  • Streams of parallel first inversion chords in strings
  • Broken chord accompaniment in low strings
  • Heterophony with violin line embroidering the idée fixe
  • 'Dummy' imitations with close appearances of the idée fixe in various instruments
• pizz.

  pizzicato
• Dynamics

  • Covers a dynamic range from ppp to ff
  • Allocates different dynamics at the same point
  • Uses conventional dynamic marks
  • Additional comment in French 'Tout l'orchestre aussi doux que possible'
• con sord.

  avec sourdine
• Melody development

  1. Melody taken from Estelle et Némorin, highlights many aspects of the style

  2. Notice the differing phrase lengths

  3. Fluctuations between stepwise movement and leaps (minor 6th, perfect 4th, octave, and 3rds)

  4. Fluidity underlined by frequent rests and pauses
• arco

  avec l'archet
• Specifications for the large string section

  • At least 15 first violins, 15 second violins, 10 violas, 11 cellos, and 9 double basses
• Stringed instrument techniques

  • con sord.
  • pizz.
  • arco
• Sonority


  • The most striking orchestral innovations occur in the later movements
  • Orchestral innovations include two harps in the second movement, cor anglais and additional timpani used chordally in the third movement, chords for double bass in the fourth movement, woodwind glissandi, bells, and col legno playing of strings in the finale
• Handling of forces

  • Distinguished for its contrasts of timbres and comparatively transparent sounds
• Restrained use of orchestral tutti effects, the first of which only occurs at bar 409
• Use of mutes at bar 2
• Frequent separation of cello and double bass e.g. bar 12
• Violin melody doubled by flute to highlight the idée fixe at bar 71
• Measured tremolo (repeated quavers) at bar 461
• Additions to the instrumentation

  • Four bassoons instead of the usual two
  • Cornets à pistons (valved brass instruments capable of playing chromatic notes)
• Tempo indications

  • Largo
  • plus vite
  • animez
  • un peu plus vite
  • retenu jusqu'au premier movement
• The instrumentation for the first movement appears comparatively straightforward
• Instructions to the timpanist

  • baguettes de bois recouvert en peau (hard sticks)
  • baguettes d'éponge (felt sticks)
• Pizzicato at bar 7
• 'Dry' rustling string support at the end of phrases at bars 78-79
• At bar 409, Berlioz divides the violin parts