Instrumental Music - Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique Movement 1

Question 1

When was Symphonie Fantastique composed?

Answer 1

1830

Question 2

What type of music is Symphonie Fantastique an example of?

Answer 2

Programmatic music

Question 3

Who composed SF?

Answer 3

Hector Berlioz

Question 4

Who was Berlioz?

Answer 4

French Composer = highly influential in development of Romantic music. He was heavily influenced by Beethoven.

Question 5

How was Berlioz influential in development of Romantic music?

Answer 5

• Wrote on a much larger scale than previously
• increased size of the orchestra
• new innovative methods of orchestration

Question 6

What is the story of Symphonie Fantastique?

Answer 6

Story of a talented artist who poisons himself with opium because of his despair over his unrequited love

Question 7

What is the story of movement 1 of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 7

A young musician afflicted by ‘sickness of spirit’ sees his ideal woman/love of his life for the first time

Question 8

What is the overall structure of the Symphony?

Answer 8

Made up of 5 movements (not the conventional 4)
1 - Reveries
2 - Un bal
3 - Scene aux champs
4 - Marche au supplice
5 - Songe d’une nuit du sabbat

Question 9

What is the overall structure of Symphonie Fantastique mvt 1?

Answer 9

Structured in sonata form, preceded by a very slow intro section (of around 70 bars).

Question 10

Describe the specific structure of Mvt 1 SF

Answer 10

Slow introduction
Exposition (repeated)
Development
Recapitulation
Coda

Question 12

Describe the structure of the exposition SF

Answer 12

1st subject in tonic key
Transition (modulating)
2nd subject in related key
Codetta in key of 2nd subject

Question 13

What is the overall instrumentation of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 13

Written for a VERY large symphony orchestra with numerous instrumental additions. (Groundbreaking for time)

Question 14

Describe the specific instrumentation of strings in movement 1 SF

Answer 14

Strings begin con sord then become senza sord 
Strings are written both pizz and arco
Moments of a punta d’arco
Double stopping and divisi strings
Tremolo strings

Question 15

Describe the specific instrumentation of percussion in movement 1 SF

Answer 15

Timpanist uses both wooden and sponge sticks

Question 16

Describe how Berlioz used performance instructions

Answer 16

Berlioz wrote very detailed performance instructions for all instruments:

i.e. legato, staccato, portato, semi-staccato

Question 17

How does the texture begin, and how does it change? SF

Answer 17

Begins monophonic, but becomes melody dominated homophony once rest of orchestra joins in.

Question 18

What is the overall texture of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 18

Highly varied textures throuhgout

Question 20

What is the overall melody of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 20

Idee fixe is central to melodic writing (heard in all 5 movements) and is passed around the orchestra.
Also lots of chromaticism in melodies
Uses repeating ‘sigh’ motif
Lots of ornamentation
Wide tessitura 
Extreme leaps in the melody

Question 21

What is the Idee fixe?

Answer 21

The theme that represents the girl the character is in love with/ his love for her.

Question 22

How is the Idee fixe made?

Answer 22

Starts on the dominant and expands a leap of a perfect fourth then maj 6th
Descends in conjunct sigh like motif (repeated again down a 4th)
Ascending sequence increased tension

Question 23

What is the overall tonality of Symphonie Fantastique ?

Answer 23

Starts in c minor changing to tonic major c
Tonality frequently obscured by chromaticism
Modulates to Ab major
C maj finally reached after much chromatic movement

Question 24

What is the tonality of the introduction of Symphonie Fantastique?

Answer 24

C minor changing to c maj

Question 25

What is the tonality of the development section of Symphonie Fantastique?

Answer 25

Starts G maj but very chromatic obscuring tonality

Question 26

What is the tonality of the recapitulation section?

Answer 26

Starts G maj
Much chromatic movement then reestablishes G maj
Closes in original c maj

Question 27

What is the overall use of harmony in Symphonie Fantastique?

Answer 27

Chords are diatonic and functional 
Emphasis on chromatic harmony 
Frequent cadences
Tonic/dominant pedals used
Some dissonance in use of suspensions 
Extended chords

Question 28

Where and why are cadences used in the Symphonie fantastique

Answer 28

Perfect cadences are frequent to confirm modulation

Plagal cadences are in a series and end the movement

Question 29

What is the overall metre of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 29

Begins in 4/4 common time

Time sig changes to 2/2 towards end of introduction

Question 30

What is the overall tempo of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 30

Tempo changes frequently:

• begins at slow largo tempo
• becomes more lively shortly into intro
• allegro agitato e appasionato assai established towards end of intro

Question 31

What is the overall rhythm of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 31

Varied rhythms throughout!
Some examples include:
- quaver triplets to begin
- crotchet triplets towards end
- use of sextuplet semiquaver
- Idee fixe begins with anacrusis
- use of cross rhythms 
- syncopation for dramatic effect
- moto perpetuo crotchets

Question 32

Which instruments introduce the Idee fixe?

Answer 32

Unaccompanied violin 1 playing in unison and solo flute introduce Idee fixe.

Question 33

How is Berlioz’s use of orchestration imaginative?

Answer 33

Started to give more independence to woodwind which would originally have only used to support/fill out chords.

Question 34

What is the Key texture of Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 34

Melody dominated homophony

Question 35

What other textures are creates in Symphonie fantastique that are less key?

Answer 35

Homophonic, chordal texture created
Idee fixe always presented in unison texture
Dialogue created as melody is passed between strings

Question 36

What is the overall use of dynamics in Symphonie fantastique?

Answer 36

Very large dynamic range: from ppp to ff
Large use of crescendos and diminuendos
Use of sudden sf markings to accent
Finishes ppp in religiosamente section

Question 37

Why does Berlioz create such dynamic extremes?

Answer 37

Dynamics used to build tension (Especially in tutti section)
Also adds to storyline of programmatic work - sudden dynamic changes reflect mental turmoil of movement

Question 38

How does Berlioz use rests for effect?

Answer 38

Intro = uses rests and rests with pauses creating a feeling of uncertainty and fragmenting the melodic line
3 bars of silence towards end of development section

Question 39

How does Berlioz conclude the movement?

Answer 39

Concludes the movement with longer rhythms: ie. tied semibreves