Symphonie Fantastique

What is the story of Symphonie Fantastique?

it is a famous example of programme music that follows a talented artist with a lively imagination who has poisoned himself with opium in the depths of despair because of hopeless love, said to be autobiographical about Berlioz’s love of actress Harriett Smithson

What is written in the programme note for Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1?

a young musician has a sickness of passion and falls in love with a woman, which haunts him like a double idée fixe - the music follows states of dreamy melancholy, aimless joy, delirious passion, outbursts of fury and jealousy, tenderness, tears, religious consolations

How does Symphonie Fantastique subvert expectations of the time?

it has a larger orchestra, similar to a Romantic orchestra, it has five movements instead of the usual four, use of melody rhythm and harmony is very original, uses early idea of leitmotif - the idee fixe - as a recurring theme, said to be autobiographical

Describe the idée fixe in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

starts on the dominant with expanding leaps of a perfect fourth followed by a major sixth, then descends conjunctly - ‘sigh’ motif; it is then repeated down a fourth and with an inverted ascending ‘sigh’ motif as tension levels increase

Describe the second subject in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

it shares similarities with the idee fixe - starts with a long note followed by a leap of a perfect fourth then a sixth before descending with two note sigh effects, often using semitones

Briefly describe the melody in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

idee fixe - ascending leaps and descending sigh, second subject - similar to idee fixe, counter melodies, often chromatic, sometimes repeated for emphasis, often based off scales, at start melodic material is high, ornamentation, some extreme leaps

Describe the melody in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

Counter melodies are based on ascending and descending arpeggios (b30–34), Part of the idée fixe is presented as an ascending sequence at b94, Melodies are often chromatic (b107), Melodies sometimes contain repetition for heightened emphasis (b146), Melodies are often based on scales, There are examples of ascending and descending chromatic scales (b198), Most of the melodic material in the first half is quite high until the cello takes the lead between b359-404, Ornamentation occurs (b19, acciaccatura and a trill), Some extreme leaps are used (b226–227, violin I)

When is the idée fixe first presented in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1?

bar 72 as the first subject of the exposition

Briefly describe the texture in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

highly varied and changes with artist’s mood swings

Describe the texture in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

highly varied and imaginative - starts with flutes and clarinets in octaves and builds up to a homophonic texture, moments of monophony (b7) and also more extended solo line (b505), unison writing with idée fixe between flute and first violins, dialogue as melody is passed from first violins to lower strings (b36), melody dominated homophony, homophonic chordal texture in ‘religiosamente’ ending

Describe the orchestra used for Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

very large - two flutes (one changes to piccolo), two oboes, two Bb clarinets, four bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two cornets à pistons (early cornet), two timpani (C&G, tonic&dominant), 15+ first violins, 15+ second violins, 10+ violas, 11+ cellos, 9+ double basses

What happens to the orchestra in later movements of Symphonie Fantastique?

it expands further

What are the string techniques in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1?

con sordino, senza sordino, punta d’arco, pizzicato, arco, double stopping, tremolo, divisi

What does con sordino mean?

muted

What does senza sordino mean?

unmuted

What does punta d’arco mean?

at the tip of the bow

What does double corde mean?

double stopping, playing two notes at once

Describe the instrumentation in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

very large orchestra, a variety of techniques used - at the start strings play con sordino and punta d’arco, then from b17 play senza sordino, pizzicato playing followed by arco (b69-70), strings play tremolo (b34), divisi writing (b61), timpani directed to use baguettes d’eponge and baguettes de bois recouvert en peau, timpani rolls are used, portato b1, legato b8, staccato b17, idee fixe to be played canto espressivo (expressively singing), second subject theme played dolce

What are baguettes d’eponge?

sponge-headed drum sticks

What are baguettes de bois recouvert en peau?

wooden sticks covered in leather

What is the overall structure of Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1?

sonata form

Describe the structure of Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

slow introduction where the key is established in C major, exposition - idee fixe introduced as first subject, second subject is a variation of idee fixe, exposition is then repeated, development section starts in G major and is highly chromatic, recapitulation is like a series of development/coda sections and idee fixe is repeated, coda where the idee fixe appears again and plagal cadences conclude the piece

Describe the tonality of Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

it starts in C minor until b17 where it settles in C major, but is frequently obscured by chromaticism. The piece modulates to Ab major and then after chromatic movement a perfect cadence secures the key in C major for the start of the exposition. The transition (b133) is in Ab major then moves towards G major for the second subject in b150, and passes briefly through E minor (b155). Development section starts in G major but is particularly chromatic, which obscures the tonality. Recapitulation starts in G major and then the piece draws to a close in the original tonic key of C major.

Describe the Harmony in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

chords are diatonic and functional, but with emphasis on chromatic harmony, including diminished 7th chords; perfect cadences are often used to confirm modulation to a new key; tonic pedal note (b46 Ab major); dissonance used occasionally with 4-3 suspension (b123); dominant 7th chords are used (b146); exposition section ends with a V7 in C major; movement ends with a series of IV–I plagal cadences

Describe rhythm in Symphonie Fantastique Mvt 1

The time signature of the largo introduction is common time, otherwise known as, simple quadruple; the time signature changes at bar 64 to known as alla breve or cut common time, simple duple; The tempo changes frequently throughout, The piece starts at a slow largo tempo, although becoming more lively from bar 17, A new tempo of Allegro agitato e appassionto assai is established at bar 64; The rhythms are highly varied throughout, The piece starts with a bar entirely made up of quaver triplets, Crotchet triplets appear at bar 358, Sextuplet semiquavers are present at bar 17, The idée fixe begins with an anacrusis, bar 714; Rests and rests with pauses are used in the Introduction to fragment the melodic line with silence and to create a feeling of uncertainty, At bar 229 there are over three bars of silence before starting the recapitulation section; The movement concludes with rhythms of longer duration – tied semibreves, bar 511; Examples of cross-rhythms (e.g. bar 29 or bar 60), Syncopation is added for dramatic effect (e.g. bars 43–45), Moto perpetuo crotchets are a feature in bars 198–227

When was Symphonie Fantastique written?

1830, early Romantic period