Berlioz's "dramatic symphony" Roméo et Juliette is considered by many (including the composer himself) to be his finest work; it is certainly one of his most original. It is performed less often than his earlier symphonies because it requires solo voices and chorus, but at its heart is some of the most inspired orchestral music of the nineteenth century.
Berlioz discovered Shakespeare in September 1827 at the Odeon Theater in Paris, through a performance of Hamlet on the 11th and a performance of Romeo and Juliet on the 15th, with the Irish actress Harriet Smithson first as Ophelia, then as Juliet. As well as being overwhelmed by the genius of Shakespeare, Berlioz also fell in love with the young actress, who was to become something of an obsession in the years to come - his love sickness for her inspired the Symphonie Fantastique.
Berlioz chose to eschew traditional theatrical conventions and instead used Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, with its choral finale, as his model for Romeo and Juliet. Inspired by Beethoven's use of vocal and dramatic elements in a symphonic work, Berlioz decided to express the emotions of the characters of Romeo and Juliet instrumentally, while assigning the narrative elements to the voices. In particular, the dialogues between the two lovers, Juliet's asides and Romeo's passionate pleas in the well-known scenes in the garden and the cemetery are not sung. Instead, the love duet is played by the orchestra. This decision is in keeping with the work's identity as a choral symphony rather than an opera. Since countless composers have explored similar vocal duets, the choice of an alternative mode of expression adds both wisdom and interest to the composition. The use of purely instrumental music in the Love Scene is described by Berlioz as his preference for "a language which is richer, more varied, less finite, and by its very imprecision incomparably more powerful in such a situation."
The libretto of the work is not taken directly from the original play; it was altered from Shakespeare's text. Berlioz's composition was strongly influenced by the 1827 production of the play by Charles Kemble and Harriet Smithson. This performance, adapted by the 18th-century actor David Garrick, depicted Juliet awakening before Romeo's death from a slower-acting poison. Berlioz enlisted the services of writer Emil Deschamps to write the libretto. Together, they eliminated the nurse's character, added a brief waking reunion of the lovers in the tomb, and expanded Shakespeare's brief mention of the reconciliation of the two families into a substantial vocal finale.
Divided into seven parts, the main body of the symphony is given to the orchestra, with the voices used sparingly until their full use in the finale. Unity is achieved through constant thematic connections. Another nod to Beethoven can be seen in the theme of the trombone recitative in the introduction, representing Romeo's rebuke to both families, which is formed from the notes of the family's angry fugato. Similarly, the final solo notes of the oboe, which follow Juliet's suicide, echo a phrase from an earlier funeral procession when she was presumed dead.
The symphony's introduction serves as a preview of the drama, giving us snippets of music that hint at what's to come. The streets of Verona come alive with the fighting and the Prince's intervention, vividly portrayed by an orchestral fugato and bold brass. The symphony unfolds in three distinct movements. An Allegro, with a slow introduction, captures Romeo's contemplation before the ball and the ensuing festivities where the lovers first meet. The sequence continues with the extended and magnificent love scene, followed by the Queen Mab Scherzo, inspired by Mercutio's speech. Garrick's adaptation introduces a funeral procession for Juliet, a crucial fifth movement that differs from Shakespeare's text.
The sixth movement, set in the Capulet vault, depicts Romeo's clash with Paris, his reverence in the vault, an "invocation" as he gazes one last time at Juliet's beauty, the taking of the poison (descending cellos), Juliet's awakening (clarinet), a frenzied love scene, Romeo's collapse, and Juliet's suicide. Unlike Shakespeare, where Romeo dies before Juliet awakens, Berlioz adds a final scene. Friar Laurence explains the tragedy and secures an oath of reconciliation from the feuding families, culminating in a grand symphonic finale (unfortunately, rather bombastic, and therefore, in my opinion, the weakest part of the symphony).
Throughout his career, Berlioz developed a special fondness for the symphony. In his memoirs, he noted that one movement, the Adagio (Love Scene) from Romeo and Juliet, became his favorite. I could not agree more.
Berlioz discovered Shakespeare in September 1827 at the Odeon Theater in Paris, through a performance of Hamlet on the 11th and a performance of Romeo and Juliet on the 15th, with the Irish actress Harriet Smithson first as Ophelia, then as Juliet. As well as being overwhelmed by the genius of Shakespeare, Berlioz also fell in love with the young actress, who was to become something of an obsession in the years to come - his love sickness for her inspired the Symphonie Fantastique.
Berlioz chose to eschew traditional theatrical conventions and instead used Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, with its choral finale, as his model for Romeo and Juliet. Inspired by Beethoven's use of vocal and dramatic elements in a symphonic work, Berlioz decided to express the emotions of the characters of Romeo and Juliet instrumentally, while assigning the narrative elements to the voices. In particular, the dialogues between the two lovers, Juliet's asides and Romeo's passionate pleas in the well-known scenes in the garden and the cemetery are not sung. Instead, the love duet is played by the orchestra. This decision is in keeping with the work's identity as a choral symphony rather than an opera. Since countless composers have explored similar vocal duets, the choice of an alternative mode of expression adds both wisdom and interest to the composition. The use of purely instrumental music in the Love Scene is described by Berlioz as his preference for "a language which is richer, more varied, less finite, and by its very imprecision incomparably more powerful in such a situation."
The libretto of the work is not taken directly from the original play; it was altered from Shakespeare's text. Berlioz's composition was strongly influenced by the 1827 production of the play by Charles Kemble and Harriet Smithson. This performance, adapted by the 18th-century actor David Garrick, depicted Juliet awakening before Romeo's death from a slower-acting poison. Berlioz enlisted the services of writer Emil Deschamps to write the libretto. Together, they eliminated the nurse's character, added a brief waking reunion of the lovers in the tomb, and expanded Shakespeare's brief mention of the reconciliation of the two families into a substantial vocal finale.
Divided into seven parts, the main body of the symphony is given to the orchestra, with the voices used sparingly until their full use in the finale. Unity is achieved through constant thematic connections. Another nod to Beethoven can be seen in the theme of the trombone recitative in the introduction, representing Romeo's rebuke to both families, which is formed from the notes of the family's angry fugato. Similarly, the final solo notes of the oboe, which follow Juliet's suicide, echo a phrase from an earlier funeral procession when she was presumed dead.
The symphony's introduction serves as a preview of the drama, giving us snippets of music that hint at what's to come. The streets of Verona come alive with the fighting and the Prince's intervention, vividly portrayed by an orchestral fugato and bold brass. The symphony unfolds in three distinct movements. An Allegro, with a slow introduction, captures Romeo's contemplation before the ball and the ensuing festivities where the lovers first meet. The sequence continues with the extended and magnificent love scene, followed by the Queen Mab Scherzo, inspired by Mercutio's speech. Garrick's adaptation introduces a funeral procession for Juliet, a crucial fifth movement that differs from Shakespeare's text.
The sixth movement, set in the Capulet vault, depicts Romeo's clash with Paris, his reverence in the vault, an "invocation" as he gazes one last time at Juliet's beauty, the taking of the poison (descending cellos), Juliet's awakening (clarinet), a frenzied love scene, Romeo's collapse, and Juliet's suicide. Unlike Shakespeare, where Romeo dies before Juliet awakens, Berlioz adds a final scene. Friar Laurence explains the tragedy and secures an oath of reconciliation from the feuding families, culminating in a grand symphonic finale (unfortunately, rather bombastic, and therefore, in my opinion, the weakest part of the symphony).
Throughout his career, Berlioz developed a special fondness for the symphony. In his memoirs, he noted that one movement, the Adagio (Love Scene) from Romeo and Juliet, became his favorite. I could not agree more.