Berlioz

1803-1869

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Born in France, son of a doctor

Sent to medical school, gave it up for music

1830: Prix De Rome, and studied in Italy

Married a Shakespearean actress wrote many pieces early in life

Conducted his music in all major capitals of Europe

Works refelcting literary influences of time: Goethe, Byron, Shakespeare

Creator of the modern orchestra

Wrote operas, choral works, songs, orchestral works

Symphonie Fantastique

Written at age 27 by Berlioz

Story comes from personal experience

Idee Fixe

Idee Fixe
A recurrent theme, a musical thread that unifies, although it varies in rythym, harmony, register, timbre, meter, tempo, dynamics
Program music
Instrumental music that has literary or pictorial assocciations
Absolute music
Music that has no pictorial or literary assocciations
Program Symphony
Multi movement orchestral work with literary or pictorial meaning (Berlioz, Liszt)
Symphonic poem
Also called tone poem, program music for orchestra in one movement, develops an idea, scene, mood (Debussy, Liszt)
The Oratorio

An unstaged opera

Origins in the Baroque era

Old  testament stories, instrumental music and singing

 No costumes, no sets

Usually invloves chorus

Felix Mendelssohn

Son of a banker

Meeting place at his home for intellectuals

Both he and his sister were musicians at a young age

Studied the greats and organized revival of Bach’s work

Age 26, conductor of orchestra in Leipzig, and then founded Leipzig Conservatory

Died of a stroke at age 38

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Elijah

Four soloists, hige orchestra including trombones, ophecleide, organ and chorus

Finished and performed in 1846

Premiered in English, but had German text

In this scene, people call to Baal, their god, but Elijah shows them that he will not answer

Johannes Brahms

Born in Germany, son of a musician

Playing at age 10 in public, touring at 20

Studied with Schumann, who wrote an article about him which made him famous

Brahms supported Clara through Robert’s illness

Fell in love with her

Never married but moved to Vienna and stayed there for 35 years

Died of cancer, ten months after Clara died

Buried in Vienna

Ophecleide
Brass instrument invented in 1817 and used in Elijah