On 19th March 2010, I was treated to the annual concert of the NUS Symphony Orchestra, compliments of my secondary school senior. My senior and I were both in our school's Chinese Orchestra, I play the yangqin while she plays the double bass which in my opinion as a teenager has a better potential to make music as a career since it has a place in both chinese and western music, in fact, in many genres of western music.
Honestly speaking, I am not a fan of live concerts and I do not usually watch a Symphony Orchestra's concert. However, ever since I took up theory lessons and eventually harmony and composition, I was able to better appreciate music from a broader perspective.
Hector Belioz's Symphony Fantastique is being labelled by my harmony teacher as a "must-know" piece for composition students due to its use of the central motiff with multiple variation techniques applied. Hence, I was keen to hear it played by different orchestras.
My own interpretation of the story of the Symphony Fantastique (hopefully more people will begin to like it or try listening to it)
First Movement: Dream
Berlioz had an idea of what his dream girl would be and always daydreams about her image, which is represented by the motiff that will keep on appearing in later movements.
Second Movement: The Ball
Berlioz attended a ball (party) and there he met a lady very much like the image of his dream girl. He falls in love at first sight but they barely had the chance to interact.
Third Movement: Pastoral
In the fields, Berlioz saw a pair of horn-blowers responding to each other's blowing. He began to think of the lady he met at the ball and the image of the dream girl appears again. Berlioz think it must be a bad feeling to be lonely.
Fourth Movement: March to the Gallows
Upset about being unable to be with his dream girl, Berlioz numbs himself with opium and eventually sees himself taken away to be beheaded. Just before he was beheaded, he still thinks of the dream girl and onces more the familiar music appears. Before the melody could finish, Berlioz was "beheaded" by the suddenly and stark clashing chord and his head fell off.
Final Movement: The Witches' Sabbath
Even in the nether world, Berlioz was still thinking of the dream girl. The melody is now somewhat distorted by many decorations sounding like devils or witches haunting him. I could picture a Halloween scene here, dark and ghostly.
Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique played by the NUSSO is the first I have heard played live in a concert hall, and also the few times I attend a Formal Symphony Orchestra Concert.
Generally, hard work put in to manage the technically difficult parts is worth applauding.
The Singapore National Youth Orchestra also led by the same conductor will be playing the piece as well. I wonder if age and life stage will affect the orchestra's expressiveness on the piece?
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