Berlioz and Shakespeare

Donald Macleod surveys the spell Shakespeare cast on Berlioz's
life and music


Berlioz burst onto the musical stage of 19th century Paris
determined to break the mould of France’s elegant and refined
classical style. He wanted to create music that could be
bombastic, barbaric and grotesque, as well as sentimental,
scintillating and sorrowful. In this, he was inspired by writers
as much as fellow musicians. He was captivated by stories and
crowded his imagination with the tales of Virgil, Scott, Goethe
and, most of all, William Shakespeare. This week, Donald Macleod
traces the tangled literary connections in Berlioz’s life and
music, including the profound spell cast by Shakespeare over the
composer’s art and personality.


Music featured:


Symphonie fantastique: IV. Marche au supplice Harold en Italie:
III. Sérénade Les Nuits d'été: IV. Absence, VI. L'île inconnue
Waverley, Grande Ouverture Roméo et Juliette: Part 1 (extracts)
Roméo et Juliette, Op 17: Part 2 (extract) La Damnation de Faust:
Scène 15. Symphonie fantastique: II. Un bal (Valse) Lélio, ou Le
Retour a la vie: VI. Fantaisie sur ‘La tempête’ de Shakespeare
Symphonie fantastique: V. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat Lélio, ou Le
Retour a la vie: II. Choeur d'Ombres La Mort d’Ophélie Roméo et
Juliette: Part 2, II. Scene d'amour Tristia: III. Marche funèbre
pour la dernière scène d'Hamlet Le Roi Lear Marche hongroise La
Damnation de Faust: Part 2 (excerpts) L'Enfance du Christ: Part
2, ‘La fuite en Egypte’ (excerpts) Les Troyens, Act 4: ‘Nuit
d'ivresse et d'extase infinie !’ Roméo et Juliette, Parts 4 &
5 Béatrice et Bénédict: (excerpts) Roméo et Juliette: Part 6
& 7 (excerpts)


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC
Audio Wales and West


For full track listings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Berlioz and Shakespeare
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ryz1


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z