Berlioz
Hector Berlioz (1803–1869) was a French Romantic composer who revolutionized orchestration and pioneered the programme symphony with his Symphonie fantastique.
In Depth
Berlioz was one of the most original and daring composers of the 19th century. His Symphonie fantastique (1830), composed at age 26, broke new ground with its autobiographical narrative, innovative orchestration, and use of the idée fixe — a recurring theme representing his obsessive love. The work essentially invented the modern orchestra as an expressive instrument.
His Treatise on Instrumentation became the definitive reference on orchestration, consulted by every subsequent generation. His grand opera Les Troyens, the Requiem (Grande Messe des morts), and the dramatic symphony Roméo et Juliette showcase his vision of music on an epic scale. Despite his genius, he struggled for recognition in France and spent much of his career as a music critic.
Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique was inspired by his obsessive, unrequited love for the Irish actress Harriet Smithson — whom he eventually married, though the union proved disastrous.