Hector Berlioz

1
Hector Berlioz
December 11, 1803 March 8, 1869
2
Biography, childhood

• Born in La Côte-St-André, Isère to liberal,
  intellectual father and Catholic mother
• At age 10, attended seminary for short time
  father educated thereafter
• Learned guitar and flute
• First compostions written in teenage years as
  guitar accompaniments for operas and for his
  childhood crush

3
Biography, young adulthood

• November 1921-Went to Paris for medical school
• Spent all his time at the opera
• 1823-Gave up medical school
• 1824-Messe solennelle composed for the church of
  St. Roch
• 1830-Symphonie fantastique

4
Bibliography, adulthood

• Avid journalist, employer (Bertin family) enabled
  his composition and left us with his memoirs
• 1834-1837 Benevento Cellini
• 1837 Composed Messe des Morts (Requiem) while
  awaiting Cellinis 1838 production

5
Works

• Composed six operas, four symphonies, seven major
  orchestral works, and 30 choir works, among
  others
• Work was not fully appreciated in its time
• Was more successful directing others operas
• Some pieces too difficult in musicianship and
  staging for his time
• Known in his time as a greater conductor than
  composer

6
Romanticism

• Focus on the individual (reveal the world to
  others through ones self)
• Genius of the Artist
• Personal statement
• Great emotion (evident in Berlioz as a child)
• Berlioz as Embodiment of Romanticism

7
Messe des Morts (1837)Poietical Analysis

• Comissioned by Adrien de Gasparin, Minister of
  the Interior of France
• Memorialization of the seventh anniversary of the
  1830 July Revolution and the 18 soldiers
  assassinated in 1835
• First performance on December 5, 1837

8
Agnus Dei

• Characterized by long, held chords by woodwinds
  and strings
• Incorporates melodies from previous movements in
  the Mass
• Includes extended text, like chant prosula

9

• Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis
  requiem sempiternam.
• Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur
  votum in Jerusalem.
• Exaudi orationem meam, ad te omnis caro veniet.
• Requiem aeternam
• Dona defunctis, Domine, et lux, perpetua luceat
  eis, cum sanctis tuis in aeternam, Domine, quia
  pius es.
• Amen.

• Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the
  world, grant them everlasting rest.
• Thou, O God, art praised in Sion and unto Thee
  shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem.
• Hear my prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come.
• Grant the dead eternal rest, O Lord, and may
  perpetual light shine on them, with They saints
  for ever. Lord, because Thou art merciful.
• Amen.

10
(No Transcript)
11
112a
12
112b
13
113a
14
113b
15
114a
For all purposes, the Agnus Dei ends here.
16
114b
17
115a
18
115b
19
116a
20
116b
Highest pitch
21
117a
22
117b
23
118a
24
118b
25
(No Transcript)
26
119
27
121
28
(No Transcript)
29
Messe des MortsEsthesical Analysis

• Well received by audiences, Berlioz describes the
  emotional attacks some experienced at the piece
• Mass hailed for organization
• Music, not words meant to emote
• Composed with contemporary romantic style, though
  evidence of classical style as well

30
Bibliography

• Cairns, David. Berlioz Requiem. London Symphony
  Orchestra Chorus. 1986.
• Cone, Edward T. Berliozs Divine Comedy The
  Grande Messe des morts. 19th Century Music 4
  (Summer 1980) 3-16.
• Di Grazia, Donna M. Volcanic Eruptions Berlioz
  and His Grande Messe des morts. 43 Choral
  Journal (November 2002) 27-55
• Kean, Ronald. Medievalism in Hector Berliozs
  Grande Messe des mortes. 43 Choral Journal
  (December 2002) 7-24.
• MacDonald, Hugh. Berlioz, Hector. Grove Music
  Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 18 April 2006),
  http//www.grovemusic.com.
• Grande Messe des morts. Wikipedia, The Free
  Enyclopedia, http//en.wikipedia.org