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Young World
THE GREAT ONES
Hector Berlioz
V.K. SUBRAMANIAN
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Berlioz’ (1803 A.D. – 1869 A.D.) masterpieces were marked by romanticism, mastery of orchestration and originality.
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Illustration: V.K. Subramanian
Hector Berlioz was a romantic, in his music and in his life.According to Theophile Gautier, the essence of the Romantic movement in France was concentrated in three people: a poet, a painter and a musician. They were Victor Hugo. Eugene Delacroix and Hector Berlioz.
Hector Berlioz wrote his music as intensely, as individually, as turbulently and as expansively as he lived.
He was born on December 11, 1803, in France, the son of a doctor. His father wanted him to be a doctor, but Berlioz could not be deflected from his passion for music.
Between 1826 and 1862, he composed several masterpieces, marked by romanticism, mastery of orchestration and originality.
His favourites
His famous works include: Symphonie Fanastique, inspired by the Irish actress, Henrietta Simpson, with whom he was madly in love, Romeo and Juliet, inspired by a Russian chorus girl, who was his other love, the Requiem, Benvenuto Cellini, the Damnation of Faust and The Trojans.
He died in Paris on March 8, 1869.
Heine said of Berlioz: “He is an immense nightingale, a lark as great as an eagle. His music causes me to dream of fabulous empires with fabulous sins.”
Richard Wagner (who himself became a great composer) said:
“The reckless boldness and severe precision…took me by storm and impetuously fanned the flames of my personal feeling for music and poetry.”
The Requiem was Berlioz’s own favourite work. He once said: If I were threatened with the burning of all my works except one, it is for the Requiem I would ask for mercy.”
This is an extract from the book The Great Ones by V.K.Subramanian, Abhinav Publications, New Delhi
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