Customer Description: Discuss Berlioz's influence on European musical culture during the second half of the 19th century. Be sure to mention his role as a composer, conductor and writer. Provide several quotations of the composer about his works.

Paper Body:

The national civilization standard can be assessed through the analysis of cultural and artistic values created along the millenniums. And no wonder that one of such outstanding figures that influenced and continues to influence all the musical culture was French composer, critic and writer - Hector Berlioz. I think it is important to note that Berlioz in his own time was something of an outsider, as far as the French musical establishment was concerned. 

He lived in a time of great musical flux - he was the excellent innovator of the early Romantic period and remains the outstanding figure in French music. And though typical of the period particularly in his literary interests, I can say without exaggeration that if it were not his work, much of the music written after wouldn't be possible. But those who know well the musical world, will understand why later in Berlioz life, his work was looked upon almost as old-fashioned (like Bach's music was treated by his sons). The fact was that the strength of the new German romanticism headed by Wagner, meant that this Frenchman, although seen as an important figure, was not in the new direct line seen in German music from Beethoven to Wagner. 

That's why it is no wonder that he became somewhat a misfit in the strongest areas in musical influence. And though a lot of people studied his music and were delighted by it, (for instance, Richard Strauss and Mahler) but, on the whole, Berlioz joined the ranks of composers such as Bach and Vivaldi, that is to have been almost forgotten by the succeeding generations. In my opinion it is not right and in this paper I'll try to describe his life, work and his wonderful masterpieces to show what a person he really was. 

Louis Hector Berlioz was born on the 11th of December, 1803 in a small French town. It's an interesting fact that though his father was a well-respected doctor, but was extremely fond of music. His father conducted most of his education, from learning Latin at a young age, to music, to reading the classics such as Virgil (who had a profound influence throughout much of Berlioz's life). 
Hector's love for music very soon became clear, but as it often happens in the families his father expected him to be a doctor, and not at any rate a musician. That's why he decided to send him to study medicine in Paris. His father had no imagination that his decision would cause a quarrel between them and made him the enemy of Hector for several years. 

The problem was that Hector soon discovered that he hated medicine and became more and more fond of music. And as the result he was out of his father's support and allowance for some time, but nevertheless he managed to study composition at the Paris Conservatoire. And it was there where he got acquainted with his main teacher - Jean Francois Lesueur, who instructed and influenced Hector, and besides was his friend.

Berlioz spent several though quite difficult but happy years at the Paris Conservatoire, sucking up information like a sponge. And as his compositions were improving, he decided to take part in the prestigious competition for composers called Prix de Rome. The prize was that a winner could get a chance to study with an allowance in Rome for three years. Hector hoped that his work would shock judges. It had the effect that he had expected, but he didn't get a prize. It was the revenge of the judges who wanted him to stop compose "new" music and get back to traditional styles though they knew very well that he was the best composer. 

Such an awful situation continued throughout several years until his first major work Symphonie Fantastique was composed. He so much tried to show his parents he had a gift for music, and it was this composition that had completely changed his life, for both good and bad. The break to which Berlioz refers came when he finally gained his father's permission to pursue music. This was against his mother's wishes and she cruelly denounced him. He explains her reasoning with typical bittersweet humor: "She was convinced that, in adopting music as a career (at the time music and the theatre were inseparably linked in the minds of Frenchmen), I was pursuing a path which leads to discredit in this world and damnation in the next".

I think it is necessary to say a few words about this symphony that had such influence on the composer. Basically speaking The Symphonie Fantastique is often described as the greatest piece ever written. It is an orchestral work that contains autobiographical elements and also suggests new paths in composition. And no wonder that the first performance of the work, in the Paris Conservatoire on the 5th of December, 1830, caused an uproar from the press as well as in the musical world in Paris. 

With the help of this symphony Berlioz found a new and true friend - great piano virtuoso Franz Liszt. Their strong friendship lasted for many years and they both got much profit from it. It is important to note that music critics in Paris have always been famous for their playing of politics rather than love of music, and Berlioz, while becoming an important critic and writer himself, became a target of a large portion of the press, and this caused problems throughout all his life. 

Here is what Berlioz wrote about their actions after his symphony and another work was first performed: "..articles appeared in the newspapers fiercely attacking or passionately praising my music. But instead of pointing out, as they might easily have done, the palpable defects in both works (defects which it took me years to eradicate from my symphony), my hostile critics fell foul of me for my absurd ideas (which were not mine at all), the crudeness of certain modulations (which did not exist), my systematic contempt for certain fundamental rules of art (which I had religiously obeyed), and my neglect of certain musical forms (which were the only ones employed in the very passages cited to the contrary)!".

Ridiculous was that Berlioz had got another victory, but it turned to sadness. He had finally won the Prix de Rome, having written the work that fitted more to the conservative judges' tastes, but now, with his fame growing, he had to leave Paris for Rome for 3 years! And now it was impossible as in his opinion it would ruin his chances for success. That's why he tried to ask leave of the government to defer his trip. However, he eventually had to go but he only stayed in Italy for a year, being excused from the other two.

Let's go further. The period between Hector's first trip to Italy (1831) and the mid 1840s produced arguably most of Berlioz's best music, such as his great Requiem, the dramatic symphony' Romeo and Juliet, the 'dramatic legend' The Damnation of Faust, the symphony with viola obbligato Harold in Italy, his opera Benvenuto Cellini and the beautiful song cycle Les Nuits D'Ete. 

But beside all the success with his works this period was as well full of hardships. First of all his fiancée married another man. Then he felt nostalgia, because though he much enjoyed Italy, his mind and his heart were in Paris...

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