Hector Berlioz, a French Romantic composer, was born in France at La Côte-Saint-André near Grenoble on December 11, 1803. His father was a physician and his mother a pious catholic woman. He studied music at age twelve, rather old for a composer in his time. He had taught himself the guitar and flute in his younger year, but never the piano.

His father disapproved of Hector’s career in music, and sent him to Paris to study in medicine. Hector was uninterested and left to study composition. He attended the Paris Conservatoire in 1826 and studied under the teachings of Jean-François Lesueur. Four years later, 1830, won the Prix de Rome, a scholarship of arts.

Age twenty-three, Hector attended Hamlet, where he fell head-over-heals in love with Ophelia, Irish actress Harriet Smithson. Oddly enough, the opera was in English, language not familiar to Hector. He wrote her letters, but she had nothing to do with him. In this incident, Hector composed of the Symphonie fantastique It is of a young man (himself) with unrequited love toward a beautiful maiden (Harriet). It was first performed in 1830. He then traveled to Rome for two years for study.

Hector returned to Paris, there meeting with Harriet Smithson. She attended the Symphonie Fantastique performance, realizing during the performance that the piece was of her. They married a year later in 1833. The following Harriet bore a son, Louis. Louis Berlioz became the captain of a merchant marine ship. He died in Havana Cuba of yellow fever in 1867. Their marriage ended in 1844, yet Hector supported and visited her and his son from time to time throughout her life until her death in 1854.

Hector remarried in 1854 to Marie Recio, a singer who lived and traveled with him. 1847, Hector was appointed as orchestra conductor at London Drury-Lane Theatre. He was a famous conductor as well. He traveled to Germany, France, and Russia to conduct operas and symphonic music, both of his own work and others. He wrote several vocal works such as Roméo et Juliette (symphony). It was a great success, unlike some of his other vocal works, “Les Troyens” (opera) and “La Damnation de Faust”. Hector himself said Roméo et Juliette was his favorite among his work. Hector also wrote a song cycle, Les nuits d'été and a concertante symphony, Harold in Italy.

Hector took on writing musical criticism for Paris publications, primarily “Le Journal des Debats”. This helped him pay off debts for himself and Harriet. He did this for over thirty years.

Hector Berlioz died in Paris at age 66, on March 8, 1869. He is buried by his two wives, Harriet and Marie, who died in 1862 in the Cimetiere de Montmartre.

I must say, I am head-over-heels for his Symphonie fantastique. I can’t explain exactly why it grips me, but I love how it starts out slow then unexpectedly speeds up with the drum roll followed by the clarinets.