Hector Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique

Movement 1

Rêveries – Passions

Programme

The author imagines that a young musician, afflicted with that moral disease that a well-known writer calls the vague des Passions [wave of passions], sees for the first time a woman who embodies all the charms of the ideal being he has imagined in his dreams, and he falls desperately in love with her. Through an odd whim, whenever the beloved image appears before the mind's eye of the artist it is linked with a musical thought, whose character, passionate but at the same time noble and shy, he finds similar to the one he attributes to his beloved.

This melodic image and the model it reflects pursue him incessantly like a double idée fixe. That is the reason for the constant appearance, in every moment of the symphony, of the melody that begins the first Allegro. The passage from this state of melancholy reverie, interrupted by a few fits of groundless joy, to one of frenzied passion with its movements of fury of jealousy, its return of tenderness its tears, its religious consolations — this is the subject of the first movement. 

 

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Listening

Slow Introduction

0:25  Introductory passage 

⋅ played by the woodwinds only; the flutes and clarinets play repeated notes G in triplets, while the oboe presents the only melodic motion in these two bars—an ascending stepwise motion from G to Eb, foreshadowing the opening ascending sixth of the idée fixe

⋅ this passage articulates the harmonic progression of V–I in C minor

0:36  Largo theme

⋅ a melody is presented in Violin I; this theme shares a remarkable resemblance to the idée fixe that arrives later in this movement

⋅ the passage depicts the protagonist deep in his “melancholy reverie”; the overall mood of this Largo theme is melancholic and sometimes depressing

⋅ this passage is performed mostly by the strings, occasionally supported by the woodwinds and horns; the strings are playing con sordino (with mute), creating a soft and tender sound

⋅ the texture is by and large homophonic; it evokes a kind of contrapuntal texture in bars 7–9 with the imitative entries among the strings

⋅ the phrasing is irregular and unsymmetrical; breaks and pauses (with fermatas) are frequent in this passage, creating a kind of free-floating quality and aimlessness that are characteristic of a reverie

⋅ the dynamics is mostly pianissimo (pp), with a brief yet unexpected surge of energy in bars 9–10 to forte, a moment that is also emphasized by a tension-inducing V11 chord (i.e. a V chord with an added 9th and 11th upper extensions)

2:00  Episode

⋅ the tempo becomes faster (plus vite) and more animated (animez); the passage symbolizes the “fits of groundless joy” as described in the program, with the mode changes to major and the violins playing a jubilant ascending C-major scale in rapid triplet semiquaver notes, now without mute (senza sordino)

⋅ this “groundless joy” becomes more intense, reinforced by an ascending sequence in bars 20–21 (up a perfect fourth each time) and a motivic fragmentation in bar 21, reiterating in earnest the broken-chord triplets in quick succession; the dynamics also increase from pianissimo to fortissimo; everything culminates to a climactic moment on the downbeat of bar 23, as if the protagonist is now overwhelmed by an excess of pumped-up energy—in a state of “frenzied passion” as according to the program

⋅ the musical intensity suddenly subsides after the climax, where the minor mode creeps back via the E–Eb chromatic inflection, and the top melody descends gradually from the high G6

2:38  Largo theme

⋅ the Largo theme returns in the violins, now doubled in octaves; the cellos and double basses response with some kind of pseudo imitation

⋅ the flutes and clarinets play a series of slurred notes and ascending scales in fast running notes as accompaniment to the Largo theme

⋅ the beginning portion of the theme is in the key of Eb major (the relative major of C minor); it changes back to C minor starting from bar 34 onwards

⋅ compared to the first Largo theme, this restatement is more intense, agitated, turbulent and passionate—for example, apart from the fast-running notes in the woodwinds, the lower strings (viola and cellos) now play in tremolos (bars 30–35), which has a more anxious sonority

⋅ the ending of this theme is extended: the melody continues its descent beyond bar 41, and is further liquidated into a series of drooping chromatic lines with syncopation; this languishing ending sounds as if the protagonist has fallen once again into his deep melancholic reverie

⋅ although the chromatic descending line arrives on a potential cadential dominant (V) in bar 45, the theme refuses to close; instead, the dominant resolves deceptively to VI in the following bar (bar 46), postponing the expected tonic arrival later into the movement

4:19  Transition

⋅ after the deceptive resolution to VI, this passage sustains Ab in the bass as a pedal point for more than 11 bars, before it resolves definitively to the cadential dominant (V) in bar 61

⋅ this passage is harmonically mesmerizing: the bass note Ab is supported each time by a different chord—first major triads (Db, Ab, E), then minor triads (C#, E, G#), followed by a diminished seventh chord; this non-functional concatenation of chords represents the aimless wandering of the protagonist’s mind in his reveries

⋅ the three-note head motif in Violin II (Ab–Db–F) foreshadows the opening bar of the idée fixe (G–C–G–E)

⋅ after groping its way around the Ab, the music finally gets back to C major (the parallel major of the opening C minor) in bar 61, celebrated by onsets of a chordal texture in mezzo-forte (mf) and fortissimo (ff)—emphasizing the cadential 6/4 chord and V7 chord respectively; also take note of the huge fluctuations of dynamics in these two bars, which seems to underscore the erratic nature of the protagonist’s mental condition

⋅ tempo changes suddenly to Allegro in bar 64, and the overall mood becomes more agitated and passionate (agitato e appassionato assai); timpani enter for the first time, played with wooden sticks covered in leather (baguettes de bois recouvert en peau)

 

Exposition

5:46  First Theme – Idée fixe 

The Allegro section bears resemblance to Classical sonata form, even though there are some salient deviations from the traditional model. The entire fast section revolves around the idée fixe, a recurring thematic idea that symbolizes the beloved woman with whom the protagonist is feverishly infatuated (“a woman who embodies all the charms of the ideal being he has imagined in his dreams”).

The idée fixe can be divided into three parts:

1. An 8-bar opening idea, followed by its restatement on the dominant as a response.
2. A continuation of the opening via fragmentation into 4-bar phrases, which are then sequenced up each time by steps (G–Ab, A–Bb, B–C)
3. A closing idea that ends on a perfect cadence (V–I) in C major

As a musical representation of the ideal woman, the idée fixe possesses the qualities of elegance and gracefulness, characterized by the elongated legato melodic line performed by Violin I and flute in unison, both of which are particularly apt for carrying an expressive and sweet melody. The theme is also endowed with great passion, evoked by the frequent dynamic changes and tempo fluctuations.

Accompanying the idée fixe are a series of two pulsating detached quaver notes played by the strings—a sonic imitation of heart pounding when the protagonist first catches sight of the ideal woman. This palpitation of the protagonist’s heart becomes more and more agitated and impassioned, which goes hand in hand with increase in dynamics to forte (bar 99).

6:24  Transition 

⋅ the music becomes more forceful and animated, as if performed with fire (con fuoco); it opens with an ascending scale, reaching three fortissimo block chords (with tremolo strings), followed by a cascade of descending thirds

⋅ this passage highlights two of the main motives from the opening theme (Idée fixe): the upper-neighbor motion (E–F–E) and the descending third

⋅ we can refer to this melody as the “cadential phrase”

⋅ this melody shares certain similarity to the last phrase (i.e. phrase c) of the Idée fixe: the descending seventh from C6 to D5, and the double detached quaver rhythm in the lower strings

⋅ the same materials are repeated as before; after bar 133, the phrase grouping gets shorter and shorter (i.e. fragmentation), first two bars long (bars 133–9), then one bar (bars 140–2) and finally half a bar (bars 143–8)

⋅ the music intensifies (crescendo up till fortissimo) from bar 146 onward, driving towards an emphatic perfect cadence in the dominant key (G major) that coincides with the onset of the second theme (bar 150)

7:01  Second Theme 

⋅ the second theme sounds like a variation of the first theme (idée fixe); it juxtaposes the head motif from the first theme (played by solo flute and solo clarinet an octave apart), followed by an answer from Violin I with a descending melodic idea

⋅ the second theme consists of three phrases; the second phrase ends with a perfect cadence, but it elides with the onset of the third phrase; the third phrase ends satisfactory with a perfect cadence without overlap

 

Exposition (Repeat)

7:17  First Theme – Idée fixe 

7:55  Transition 

8:33  Second Theme 

 

Development

8:46  Development section 

⋅ rising sequences based on the head motif of the second theme (or the idée fixe)

⋅ the model is initially four bars long, which is sequenced up by a semitone each time (from G to Ab and A); grouping becomes shorter from bar 174 onward, getting more intense and agitated as the bass ascends stepwise; this passage arrives on a V4/2 chord in C major

⋅ a short passage based on the answer (descending melodic idea) of the second theme, first by the woodwinds, then by the strings

⋅ (9:15) an episode based on chromatically ascending and descending parallel sixth chords, played in staccato; the melodic contour also goes in tandem with the crescendos and diminuendos; the melodic apex is accentuated by forte attacks from the woodwinds and French horns (such as bars 202 & 210)

⋅ this passage represents the "vague des Passions" (waves of passions) that escalate and subside inside the protagonist’s mind

⋅ (9:41) a general pause of three bars (all the instruments stop playing); Berlioz emphasizes this pause with the indication “silence” on the score; this dramatic pause creates a sense of suspense, heightening the expectation of what to come next

 

Idée fixe (dominant) and Second theme

9:45  First Theme – Idée fixe – Return in the dominant (V) 

⋅ the first theme (idée fixe) returns in the dominant key (G major); the melody is presented by the woodwinds (flutes, clarinets, and bassoons; oboes added later), doubled across three octaves

⋅ the strings provide the accompaniment to the melodic line; the rhythmic figuration here is more active, with the violins (on beat 1 & 3) cooperating with cellos and double basses (on beat 2 & 4) to create a continuous succession of quaver pulses, which infuses a greater rhythmic propulsion and forward momentum to the music

⋅ different from the first statement, the top notes of the violins double the structural tones of the idée fixe, making it more pronounced

⋅ the viola fills out the harmony by playing a series of repeated notes or dyads (akin to tremolos); it also depicts the feeling of agitation and impatience of the protagonist

10:32  Transition 

⋅ the end of the first theme (idée fixe) digresses into a development phrase; the bass line initially descends chromatically, then moves up by sequence in triplet rhythm

⋅ the music arrives triumphantly (forte) on the tonic of G major in bar 291, celebrated by a stream of descending slurred notes

⋅ the harmony seems to be about to bring forth another cadential progression, moving to II chord in bar 297; yet it crashes onto a fortissimo fully diminished seventh chord in bar 304 (G–Bb–C#–E); this chord is repeated three more times, each time moving up a semitone

11:05  Second Theme – Return in V 

⋅ this passage is based on the answer of the second theme, initially in the minor mode, then back to C major

⋅ the texture is polyphonic at first, with the answer imitated among different string instruments: first cellos, then violas and second violins

⋅ the emphatic statement of the theme in bars 322–8 sounds like a point of triumphant arrival, as if the protagonist has succeeded in attaining his beloved woman

 

Long Transition and Idée fixe (tonic)

11:40  Cadential phrase 

⋅ it is based on the cadential phrase, which leads into a transitional passage; the cadential phrase is repeated four times:

(1) first played by the woodwinds and then by the strings (in C major); yet lurking beneath the peacefulness of this melody is something ominous and disquieting—the rolling of the timpani in pianissimo, played with soft mallet (baguettes d’éponge)

(2) played by Violin II; Violin I joins in above with an eerie-sounding chromatic descending line

(3) played by the cellos; the violins play a series of interlocking short phrases in crotchets; the key changes to minor near the end (bar 349), with the expected A being chromatically altered to Ab

(4) played by cellos, double basses, and bassoons; the melody is distorted, beginning in C major, but the expected D is one semitone too low into C# (bar 354), steering the music to the submediant key of A major 

12:06  Transition 

⋅ an extended transitional passage that features an entirely new melody, played by the oboe

⋅ the harmony in this passage is highly unstable

⋅ the music becomes increasingly more animated and enlivened, moving up gradually in chromatic steps and getting progressively louder

13:11  First theme (Idée fixe) – Return to Tonic 

⋅ a triumphant return of the first theme (idée fixe) in fortissimo dynamic; the melody is played by the flutes, piccolo, oboes, trombones, violins and violas (the strings are playing an embellished version of the melody, with added passing tones and chordal leaps between the melodic notes)

⋅ the other instruments accompany with a syncopated rhythm (short-long-short) in chordal texture

⋅ the melody differs from bars 428 onward, substituting the original closing phrase (phrase c) with a more intensive fragmentation of the first theme

⋅ (2:14) the violins move up by chromatic steps, while the other string parts supports with an incessant string of repeated notes; the woodwinds punctuate the texture on the weak beats in block chords

⋅ (2:22) the theme culminates on a fortissimo cadential dominant in bars 449–450 (initially embellished with a C–B suspension); yet the perfect cadence is withheld, refusing to resolve to the tonic on the downbeat of bar 451

⋅ after this cadential failure, the music ruminates upon the first four bars of the idée fixe, now in a slower tempo (retenu); these four-bar groups enter with overlaps, juxtaposing one over the other like a stretto

⋅ the music seems to lose its momentum, when the major sonority of the first theme is deformed into minor in bar 456 (E is lowered into Eb), and the bassoon continues in Db major—the Neapolitan (bII) key of C major

⋅ (2:37) yet this bout of despairing mood is only temporary; the music picks up its zest again in bar 461 with an unyielding determination—the tempo gets faster (tempo piu animato), the strings play in repeated notes, dynamics gradually get louder (crescendo), and the notes ascend incrementally into the high register

⋅ the music arrives on the cadential dominant again in bar 473; here it resolves successfully to tonic in bar 475, yet the highest pitch of the strings (E in Violin I) still refuses to return to the tonic

⋅ this passage features a series of syncopated attacks across the entire orchestra; the texture suddenly becomes sparse in bar 483, with the strings performing an ascending scale with crescendo, driving toward

⋅ the final cadence the final perfect cadence (in C major) arrives in bar 491, with the entire orchestra blasting in fortissimo, bringing the movement to a satisfactory close

 

Coda

The movement originally ends with the perfect cadence in the previous section. This coda was added by the composer at a later stage (perhaps signaling that the triumphant ending is only illusory, for the protagonist delves back into his melancholic reverie as before). Also, this coda corresponds pretty closely to the program note: “its return of tenderness, its tears, its religious consolations”.

14:30  Coda 

⋅ the first four pitches of the idée fixe are reiterated in pianissimo, with the original dotted rhythm getting neutralized into four crotchet notes; the major modality quickly darkens into minor, implied by the chromatically inflected notes (Eb, Ab and Db) the idée fixe is restated one last time in bar 503 by the violins

⋅ (0:35) a chordal passage concludes the first movement, labelled “Religiosamente” (“religiously”); the music alternates between the subdominant (IV) chord and the tonic (I) chord, articulating a series of plagal cadence that is often associated with the “Amen” ending typical in Christian church music

⋅ the entire orchestra is required to play "as softly as possible" (Tout l’orchestre aussi doux que possible), bringing the movement to a peaceful and transcendent end