Born:
December 11, 1803; his parents were Louis Berlioz and Marie-Antoinette-Josephine. His father was a doctor.
Birthplace:
La Côte-Saint-André, Isére
Died:
March 8, 1869 in Paris, France
Also Known As:
He was one of the most original composers of the 19th century; a master of orchestration.
Type of Compositions:
Influence:
His father taught him how to play the flageolet, read music and introduced him to the flute. He also took voice, flute and sight reading lessons from Imbert (second violin of the Théâtre de Lyon). Dorant taught him how to play the guitar; he also studied composition with Jean-François Le Sueur. He went to Paris in 1821 to pursue medicine, but decided to focus on music later on. In 1830, he won the Prix de Rome; ten years later he was making concert tours outside France.
Notable Works:
Some of his most known work are: "Symphonie Fantastique," "The Trojans," "Roméo et Juliette," "Harold in Italy," "Requiem," "Benvenuto Cellini," "Ouverture de la Tempête," "The Damnation of Faust" and "The Childhood of Christ."
Interesting Facts:
Unlike his contemporaries, Berlioz' wasn't as easily accepted by the public. It might be said that his manner of instrumentation and orchestration was too advanced for that era. Because of the public's lack of acceptance, Berlioz shifted to other music forms such as symphonies and wrote newspaper reviews to earn money. His compositions were greatly appreciated years later after his death.
Music Sheet/Music Sample:
Listen to Louis - Hector Berlioz' "Symphonie Fantastique" - 5th Movement courtesy of YouTube.
