# Berlioz, The Melody Master



## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

I have always been a fan of Hector Berlioz, but haven't listened to his works for some time until finding this recent performance of the Symphonie Fantastique. It is a reminder of what a consummate melodist he was. Not to mention his way with the woodwinds. Listen particularly to the Scene Aux Champs at 20:33.

This is a large orchestra beautifully recorded and it is a wonderful performance. I don't remember seeing so many double bass's and they are placed right behind the first violins on the left. I'm used to them being on the upper right. But what stands out are the woodwinds and there are a lot of them in this orchestra. The interplay among them is exceptional.






Another work (Romeo and Juliette) that has wonderful melodies particularly appropriate for the subject matter. It is IMO surprisingly underrated and under appreciated. Again, the woodwinds, especially the oboe stand out here.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Moved to the Classical Music Forum.


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## Chibi Ubu (11 mo ago)

Are there any other Hector Berlioz recommendations out there? I know these two.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

One of his best works imo is the orchestral song cycle Les nuits d'été (Summer Nights).


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Chibi Ubu said:


> Are there any other Hector Berlioz recommendations out there? I know these two.


Berlioz, Hector: Symphonie Fantastique
Berlioz, Hector: Requiem "Grande Messe des Morts"
Berlioz, Hector: Les Troyens
Berlioz, Hector: Harold en Italie
Berlioz, Hector: La Damnation de Faust Op. 24
Berlioz, Hector: Roméo et Juliette
Berlioz, Hector: Le Carnaval Romain
Berlioz, Hector: Les Nuits d'été
Berlioz, Hector: L'Enfance Du Christ
Berlioz, Hector: Te Deum
Berlioz, Hector: Le Corsaire
Berlioz, Hector: Béatrice Et Bénédict
Berlioz, Hector: Benvenuto Cellini
Berlioz, Hector: Symphony No. 4 "Symphonie le Funèbre et Triomphale"
Berlioz, Hector: Le Roi Lear Overture
Berlioz, Hector: Hungarian March
Berlioz, Hector: Reverie et Caprice


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

My favorite work is probably La Damnation de Faust but I don't know any of his operas except for Les Troyens (and this one only very superficially). It's not quite such a strange hybrid as R&J and works better for me, despite being isolated semi-operatic scenes. There are two great arias for Marguerite (L'amour l'ardente flamme and Roi de Thule), lots of fun choruses (Mephisto with the students etc.) and a very atmospheric finale (ride to abyss, Pandaemonium, a riot with the choir singing in a made up lingua infernalis)
R & J contains some of Berlioz' best like the Love scene and the Mab scherzo but the whole thing with choir is to me still strange and anticlimactic. In earlier times there were somewhat frequent recordings of a orchestral "suite" with 4-5 movements of R & J that was not ideal either but as good an intro to Berlioz as Symphonie Fantastique.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

These are not the only recommendable xersions of these works, but I know thwm well enough to know they are superb:

Les Nuits d'Ete: Crespin / Ansermet / Suisse Romande
Overtures: Munxh/BSO
Romeo and Juiliet (excerpts): Giulini / CSO
Symphonie Fantastique: Monteux / VPO


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Of course, a composer who didn't write a single concerto would compose what is essentially one of the very few concertos for viola and orchestra. It was written for Paganini who was apparently irritated by how relatively small his part was compared to his own violin concertos.


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

DaveM said:


> I have always been a fan of Hector Berlioz, but haven't listened to his works for some time until finding this recent performance of the Symphonie Fantastique. It is a reminder of what a consummate melodist he was. Not to mention his way with the woodwinds. Listen particularly to the Scene Aux Champs at 20:33.
> 
> This is a large orchestra beautifully recorded and it is a wonderful performance. I don't remember seeing so many double bass's and they are placed right behind the first violins on the left. I'm used to them being on the upper right. But what stands out are the woodwinds and there are a lot of them in this orchestra. The interplay among them is exceptional.
> 
> ...


Thank you for posting these. I have not come across these performances before. I listened to them last night and they are wonderful. You can tell right from the start with how good the phrasing, pacing, and balance is with the SF that it was going to be a great performance.

I see what you mean about the melody writing and the woodwinds. I would also add that this is some excellent examples of 19th century, Romanic-period counterpoint. Especially in the strings. Much more chromatic and dissonant, with more twists and turns, and slightly less metrical rhythms than earlier periods.

What really stands out in Berlioz pieces like this is the orchestration. In particular the variety and intricacy of the textures. From very simple to very complex. In the very complex you can hear the foreground, middle-ground, and background very clearly. They are well-balanced in this performance. The more elaborate textures (to me) have a "shimmer" to them that I identify with the French orchestral signature sound which later composers expanded upon to the nth degree, such as _Ravel_ (and even _Stravinsky_! whose early orchestral works were written in the French orchestral impressionist style). Even the harmonies at times point in that direction with the rapid succession of triads almost planing in a Ravelian fashion.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

La Damnation de Faust Op. 24 and Les Nuits d'Ete are both highly recommended the last one sung by Steber


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

I've only just begun discovering Berlioz's music and I am quite amazed that I hadn't given him the time of day sooner. What an exceptionally gifted composer he was! I can't understand why it was that Debussy and Ravel considered him a clumsy genius with no talent. I don't hear anything at all clumsy or talentless in his music—quite the opposite!

How do you all feel about Warner's complete edition?


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Red Terror said:


> I've only just begun discovering Berlioz's music and I am quite amazed that I hadn't given him the time of day sooner. What an exceptionally gifted composer he was! I can't understand why it was that Debussy and Ravel considered him a clumsy genius with no talent. I don't hear anything at all clumsy or talentless in his music—quite the opposite!
> 
> How do you all feel about Warner's complete edition?


I’m familiar with it, but don’t have it. I suppose it is a great value for 27 discs at $3-$3.50 each if one wants pretty much everything Berlioz wrote. If I were to want those recordings, I would probably opt for the same set as a flac digital download on sale at Presto Music for only $45!


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Since you labeled Berlioz the "melody master" (and rightly so), let's list some of his greatest tunes:


La Damnation de Faust: both Margherite's arias. When I'm in a particular mood, I think that "l'Amour l'Ardente Flamme" has the greatest melody ever written by anyone.
Romeo et Julliette: the love scene, naturally.
Les Nuits d'Ete: the second song, le Spectre de la Rose. Makes me teary-eyed even thinking about it.
Requiem: Offertoire, Domine Jesu Christe. The actual "melody" consists of only two notes, repeated over an over again, but it's embedded in the an opulent contrapuntal filigree of voices. It's probably the most amazing and forward-looking movement from the Requiem.
Harold en Italie - the second movement, Marche de Pélerins, has a haunting chorale-like melody, interrupted by a strange bell-like sound.The effect is unforgettable.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

RobertJTh said:


> Since you labeled Berlioz the "melody master" (and rightly so), let's list some of his greatest tunes:
> 
> 
> La Damnation de Faust: both Margherite's arias. When I'm in a particular mood, I think that "l'Amour l'Ardente Flamme" has the greatest melody ever written by anyone.
> ...


He was certainly a master of melody but I am most taken with his handling of the orchestra—not a dull moment to be had.


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