Hector Berlioz

[knight66]

Well, I am happy for it to be enjoyed, merely puzzled. I agree about the thermatic material, though there is one long breathed, sinuous tune he uses here that he could not let go of and it appears memorably in at least two other pieces.

Mike

[Moonfish]

Berlioz: Lélio, ou le Retour à la Vie              Barrault/Mitchinson/Shirley-Quirk/London SO & Chorus/Boulez

I was unaware of this work being the sequel to Symphonie fantastique. It is supposed to be performed in conjunction with the symphony (immediately after) and brings the artist back to life. According to the notes both works are associated with Berlioz's love affair with the Irish actress Harriet Smithson that actually attended the premier performance.   
Berlioz wrote of her reaction:
"Good, God! Juliet - Ophelia - I can doubt no more', thought miss Smithson. 'It is of me he speaks: he loves me still.' And from that moment, as she has often told me since, it seemed to her as if the room reeled. She heard no more and went home like one walking in her sleep, almost unconscious of all that was happening around her."

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this as it progressed. The soothing French narration by Barrault certainly added atmosphere, but the music was romantic and mysterious. Berlioz surprises me at times. Ahh, I would like to read his autobiography one of these days.

[Karl Henning]

Berlioz: Lélio, ou le Retour à la Vie              Barrault/Mitchinson/Shirley-Quirk/London SO & Chorus/Boulez

I was unaware of this work being the sequel to Symphonie fantastique. It is supposed to be performed in conjunction with the symphony (immediately after) and brings the artist back to life. According to the notes both works are associated with Berlioz's love affair with the Irish actress Harriet Smithson that actually attended the premier performance.   
Berlioz wrote of her reaction:
"Good, God! Juliet - Ophelia - I can doubt no more', thought miss Smithson. 'It is of me he speaks: he loves me still.' And from that moment, as she has often told me since, it seemed to her as if the room reeled. She heard no more and went home like one walking in her sleep, almost unconscious of all that was happening around her."

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this as it progressed. The soothing French narration by Barrault certainly added atmosphere, but the music was romantic and mysterious. Berlioz surprises me at times. Ahh, I would like to read his autobiography one of these days.

This is the inexplicable gap in my Berlioz library.  It is the chief reason I now regret that I did not snap up the Boulez/Berlioz box back when it was available.

[North Star]

This is the inexplicable gap in my Berlioz library.  It is the chief reason I now regret that I did not snap up the Boulez/Berlioz box back when it was available.

This one is calling us, Karl. 
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[Moonfish]

Picked up Cairns' biographies today!      Berliozed!
It seems like these two volumes as well as his autobiography would keep any Berlioz fan quite busy for a while.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/oct00/Berlioz-Cairns.htm

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[Karl Henning]

Sweet!

[Moonfish]

Sweet!

I blame Boulez's performance of Lélio!!      0:)

[Florestan]

One of the most cherished and read (by me) books in my parents´ library was / is

Hector Berlioz: Memoirs --- (complete Romanian translation). 

[Moonfish]

One of the most cherished and read (by me) books in my parents´ library was / is

Hector Berlioz: Memoirs --- (complete Romanian translation). 

I just started reading it (although not in Romanian  and I cannot handle the French original). I really enjoy Berlioz's style - minute details, talented sarcasm and a great atmosphere. It is likely to be a great read!

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[TheGSMoeller]

Part I: Berlioz Takes A Trip...

https://www.youtube.com/v/tWrut6bxK0M


Part deux...

https://www.youtube.com/v/Tsi3KzAWPGI

[TheGSMoeller]

Part Three...

https://www.youtube.com/v/1G_5b3Z4kLo


Part 4...


https://www.youtube.com/v/j60lqFIaK04

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Benvenuto Cellini is great. Musically, that is...

For some reason I can't get into several movements of Symphonie Fantastique, mainly the three first ones.

[Karl Henning]

This is the inexplicable gap in my Berlioz library.  It is the chief reason I now regret that I did not snap up the Boulez/Berlioz box back when it was available.

The seemingly random act of my eye falling upon this box, and setting to listen to the Skryabin . . .

Александр Николаевич [ Aleksander Nikolayevich (Skryabin) ]
«Поэма экстаза», соч. 54 [ Le Poème de l'extase, Opus 54 ]
NY Phil
Boulez

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. . . prompted me to search anew, and I found a reasonably-priced Used—Like New copy of the Pierre Boulez Edition Berlioz box!

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Benvenuto Cellini is great. Musically, that is...

For some reason I can't get into several movements of Symphonie Fantastique, mainly the three first ones.

Try buying into the story more, Alberich.  SF is program music of the most experiential (and I think, convincing) kind! (or as a Lenny Bernstein performance was touted in the 60s : "It's the Ultimate Trip!").

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Try buying into the story more, Alberich.  SF is program music of the most experiential (and I think, convincing) kind! (or as a Lenny Bernstein performance was touted in the 60s : "It's the Ultimate Trip!").

I prefer Harold en Italie.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I prefer Harold en Italie.

It's also an excellent trip!

[Florestan]

this music requires much more than simply getting all the notes right.

And yet you skip almost all such music composed before 1900... Why? 

[Karl Henning]

Few Berlioz albums can boast such a novel design, perhaps.

[Florestan]

Few Berlioz albums can boast such a novel design, perhaps.

WTF? Can you figure out what that is? I can´t.

[Karl Henning]

Not a clue!