SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE
4th and 5th movements
(Recording: Gergiev)

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IV. MARCH TO THE SCAFFOLD

2 main themes, after an INTRO (drums, answ by brass quietly, ominously, building to cresc., stop--)
1. simple theme of long downward scale [0:28]
2. blaring military march [1:43]
notice later in the mvt. when it’s re-orchestrated (div. between plucked strings, bowed strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion)

IDEE FIXE, then guillotine chop

FINALLY, listen for inverted scale (“shattering”)
“He dreams he has killed his beloved, and is condemned to death, led to execution. A march accompanies the procession, now gloomy and now wild, now brilliant and grand. Finally the idée fixe appears for a moment, to be cut off by the fall of the axe.”

An element of REVENGE (H.S. AND BERLIOZ) written into this?

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V. DREAM OF A WITCHES' SABBATH

Parody added... “astonishing orchestral effects” - (witches, swishing broomsticks, distant horn calls summoning them)

0:28 fanfare-like in clarinet, distant trpt summons
winds echoed by muted horn
1:07 fanfare, again

1:21 idee fixe (portion of) -- prefatory statement -- “riotous orch. response”

“WHEN THE THEME FIRST ARRIVES, ONLY 2 PHRASES ARE PLAYED BEFORE THE ORCHESTRA BREAKS IN , WITH A “ROAR OF JOY” WELCOMING HARRIET SMITHSON TO THE ORGY.”

Berlioz called the idée fixe “noble and timid” (orginally)--here the idée fixe sounds thoroughly vulgar:

WHAT IS TIME’S EFFECT ON THE MATERIAL?: compare the first appearance of the idée fixe (first mvt) to this one...and to all others

1:39 idée fixe: fast JIG rhythm by ‘shrill’ E-flat clarinet...TRIPLE METER (6/8)

[8] 0: 48 Upward motive introduced (fugue subject later)
transition: 0:59 in descending low string passage, + brass single instr?

1:17 FUNERAL BELLS
in three sets (three times each, the last muted)

[9] DIES IRAE Gregorian chant theme for requiem masses in the Middle Ages
THREE VERSIONS - three ‘PHRASES’ of the plainchant

PHRASE 1:
1) tubas and horns - slow
2) horns and trombones - faster
3) woodwinds - faster still (rhythm recalls IDEE FIXE)
PHRASE 2 (of the plainchant)
(same three versions)
PHRASE 3: (of the plainchant)
(same three versions)...but meanwhile FUNERAL BELLS and upward motive heard occasionally

at 1:36 a kind of transition using the upward motive
FUGUE - explain FUGUE!

subject: the upward motive, but completely spun out

subject entries (how many?: 4)
the EXPOSITION (not to be confused...)
when there is no subject present, it’s called an EPISODE

[10] EXPOSITION
0:30 Episode 1
0:47 Subject entries (3 more), then stretto (explain) -piled upon
[11] Episode 2 descending fragments (what do they symbolize?)
0:24 music dies down...
0:41 fragments of DIES IRAE
0:56 long transition - big cresc. over drum roll

1:12 SUBJECT ENTRY

[12] SUBJECT PLUS: Dies Irae in combination w/ subj. polyphonically
0:37 final subject entry is w/ strings col legno
skeletons?

[13] DIES IRAE, hastily played, in same three versions, w/ big drum strokes
0:09 Conclusion - final passage of cadences, very loud, last note sustained...