Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique – Bernstein – YouTube

Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique is, by far, my favorite piece of classical music (classical being a genre in this case, not a correct, historical term). This piece is an amazing example of the early Romantic period in music and is considered to be the first truly romantic symphony. The massive swings in tone, dynamics, style, and tempo alongside the vibrant instrumentation help the piece feel like an emotional and personal story when listened to from beginning to end. The story behind this song is also highly dramatic and characteristic of Romantic-era art. Berlioz wrote the song to catch the attention of a beautiful actress with whom he was obsessed. Moreover, the story built into the song is about Berlioz overdosing on opium after concluding that the woman he loves will never love him back. Throughout the piece, there is a motif played in the flute, meant to represent the woman Berlioz was chasing throughout the song. This motif is played in different ways throughout the song, ranging from a majestic and highly embellished part of the second movement to a fleeting thought in the fourth movement.