The Life of Hector Berlioz: 1803 to 1830

One of six children, Hector Berlioz's musical education did not start until he was between 12 and 13 years old, when he started to learn how to play the flageolet and, later, the flute and the guitar. Interestingly, Berlioz never learned how to play the piano. He also composed his first pieces during his teen years, all romances and small chamber pieces.

When Berlioz was 18, his father sent him to Paris to study medicine, a career in which the younger Berlioz had no interest. While a medical student, Berlioz explored the musical world of Paris and continued to compose. He quit medical school in 1824, even though his mother and father disapproved, and devoted himself to music.

In 1826, Berlioz enrolled in the Paris Conservatoire. The fugue that he submitted for the Prix de Rome during that year was eliminated early on in the competition. It was not until his fourth submission, "Sardanapale," that he won the Prix de Rome in 1830.

It was also in 1830 that Berlioz wrote "Symphonie Fantastique." In that year, he also became engaged to Camille Moke, despite his obsession with Harriet Smithson, a Shakespearean actress who would later become his wife.
 

Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
The "Symphonie Fantastique" is arguably one of Berlioz's most well-known works. Written in devotion to Harriet Smithson before the two actually met, "Symphonie Fantastique" is filled with romance and passion, reflecting Berlioz's desire for an unattainable woman.

The Life of Hector Berlioz: 1831 to 1849

The 1830s were busy for Berlioz. In 1831, he moved to Rome to study for two years. Moke broke off their engagement while he was living in Italy. In 1833, he married Harriet Smithson. This marriage may have been doomed before it started, as Smithson may have married Berlioz because her acting career was winding down and she was in debt. Happily, their son, Louis, was born in 1834. Pieces that Hector Berlioz wrote during the 1830s include:
  • "Grande Messe des Morts, Op. 5" or "Requiem"
  • "Harold en Italie"
  • the symphony "Romeo et Juliet."

The 1840s were a period of change. Berlioz's marriage was crumbling, in part due to Harriet's alcoholism. He became involved with Marie Recio, a singer, and moved in with her in 1844, although he supported his wife until she died.

During the 1840s, Berlioz started traveling more, as his music was being better received in countries other than his own. Works composed in the 1840s include "La Damnation de Faust."

Berlioz "Requiem"
"The Grande Messe des Morts, Op. 5," or "Requiem," was requested by Adrien de Gasparin, the minister of the Interior of France, to commemorate the soldiers who died in the July Revolution. While this work is based on the traditional Latin Requiem Mass, "The Grande Messe des Morts" goes well beyond the original. "Requiem" reflects on death, mourning and judgment with power and emotion.

When "Requiem" premiered, the performance included more than 400 musicians and singers.

The Life of Hector Berlioz: 1850 to 1869

Berlioz continued to tour countries including Austria, Russia, Germany and England during these years. When his wife died in 1854, Berlioz married his lover, Recio, after having lived with her for 14 years. In 1862, Recio died suddenly from a heart attack. Berlioz also outlived his son Louis by two years. Hector Berlioz died on March 8, 1869, in Paris. Works composed from 1850 to 1869 include:
  • "Beatrice et Benedict"
  • "L'Enfance du Christ"
  • "Les Troyens"
  • "The Te Deum."

Resources

Classical Music Home Page (1996) Hector Berlioz (1803-1869). Retrieved December 12, 2007, from the Classical Music Pages Web site: http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/berlioz.html.

Members.aol.com. (n.d.) Symphonie Fantastique. Retrieved December 12, 2007, from the Members.Aol.com Web site: http://members.aol.com/fausttiger/fantastique.html.

Monir Tayeb and Michael Austin. (n.d.) Berlioz Biography. Retrieved December 12, 2007, from the Hector Berlioz Web site: http://www.hberlioz.com/Works/biography.htm#1.

Monir Tayeb and Michael Austin. (n.d.) Symphonie Fantastique. Retrieved December 12, 2007, from the Hector Berlioz Web site: http://www.hberlioz.com/Scores/sfantastique.htm.

ThinkQuest.org. (n.d.) Hector Berlioz (1803-1869). Retrieved December 12, 2007, from the ThinkQuest Web site: http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/berlioz.html.

Web.Ukonline.co.UK.(2002) Berlioz Requiem. Retrieved December 12, 2007, from the Web.UKonline.com.UK Web site: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/wokingchoral/Berlioz%20programme
%20notes.htm.