Berlioz: Getting to Know the “Symphonie Fantastique”

Description

An ideal introductory homework to prepare the ground for your work on the Symphonie Fantastique. Task 1: Learn to play the whole of the idée fixe ready to perform for the group next lesson. To fully appreciate the cyclic structure of the Symphonie Fantastique and how Berlioz subjects this theme to the technique of thematic transformation students need to know the idée fixe inside out.  There is some in built differentiation here.  You might find a couple of less confident players may want to perform the melody together while a couple of able pianists could pull off a performance that also includes the those challenging off-beat chords the accompaniment.

Over the years we have had some real fun with this activity. One of the most stunning performances I remember being that of an electric guitarist making full use of the effects pedal.  I wonder what Berlioz would have made of that!

Other tasks will encourage students to acquaint themselves with the instrumentation and listen to the symphony in its entirety while locating and/or writing about various musical features in relation to the programme.