Hector Berlioz (1813 - 1869)
Hector Berlioz was born in France in 1813 into a wealthy family. His father was a doctor, and Berlioz was taught flute and guitar and taught himself some basics concerning harmony. Unlike most of the romantic era composers, Berlioz did not know how to play piano. In 1821 he began to study medicine in Paris per his father’s wishes, but he soon left medical school to go to the Conservatory to embark on his musical studies. In 1830 he won the distinguished music award, the Prix de Rome, at the Conservatory. Between 1831 and 1832 Berlioz spent fifteen months in Italy.
In 1830, Berlioz wrote the Symphonie fantasique, a symphony about an opium drug addict who is completely infatuated with a beautiful woman. The beautiful woman is represented throughout the various movements through a memorable melody. Berlioz termed this type of a melody an idée fixe (fixed idea). This symphony is partly autobiographical, and Berlioz wrote it to win over an actress, Harriet Smithson, whom he was infatuated with. The two did get married though it was a short troubled marriage.
During the 1830’s and 1840’s Berlioz produced a wealth of great works, but they were not embraced by society, and Berlioz worked as a journalist to make ends meet. He wrote for the Gazette Musicale and the Journal des debates. Berlioz was possibly just a bit ahead of his time. Most of his works were originals, and he introduced new methods including the using the idée fixe, using mixed forms in a piece, and using and combining instruments in ways not previously done. He also used long melodies at a time when melodies were being shortened, and he often used asymmetrical phrases. In short, he bent and even broke some musical rules of the time. Though he had to support himself through journalism he kept writing music including The Damnation of Faust and L’enfance du Christ. He toured Germany, Russia, England, Austria, and other countries between 1842 and 1863. While he struggled as a musician during his time, his works have been a guide to future generations.
Berlioz had a rather traumatic personal life as well. He was a very sincere and emotional man (a true romantic), but he was prone to mood swings. This temperament enhanced his music, but caused some difficult in his personal life. Also, in the later years of his life he suffered the loss of his father, two wives, two sisters, and his 33 year old son. Berlioz himself died in 1869 at 56 years old.
