Summary Of Symphonie Fantastique

Symphonie fantastique was written in order for Berlioz to profess his undying love for the Shakespearean actor, Harriet Smithson. This piece was written at the start of Romantic period and was an excellent example of one of the first works of program music. Program music is defined as instrumental music that, in Berlioz’s case, showcased a personal drama. This type of music was fairly new, but Berlioz does fit the expectations that are associated with this genre, including five movements that all described the different emotions and internal struggles Berlioz was facing when trying to portray his love for Harriet. By including this many movements, Berlioz was able to skillfully write a medley of emotions that encompassed a familiar feeling of unrequited love that the audience could relate to. He offers his own take on the meaning of each movement, describing
I think today, older generations tend to enjoy classical music more openly, while millennials still enjoy the music, but do so more privately. This genre of music is still significant today because it is no different to what we are used to hearing on the radio and on a daily basis. I think concerts like this exist to show how powerful music without lyrics can be, and how the emotions that an audience feels during a performance can be translated only through musical notes and not just through lyrics. In terms of whether this type of music is necessary and supported, I believe that there are so many people who play the same instruments and who want to see a live performance of this calibre that this genre of live music should absolutely be an ongoing tradition. Considering that this type of music has survived for centuries, I see no reason for this genre to die out in the near future, so this performance art is most definitely supported by the