Autobiography of Hector Berlioz: Volume 1
Member of the Institute of France, from 1803 to 1869; Comprising his Travels in Italy, Germany, Russia, and England

Berlioz compiled his colourful and engaging Mémoires between 1848 and 1865. This reissue is of the 1884 first English translation.

Hector Berlioz (Author), Rachel Holmes (Translated by), Eleanor Holmes (Translated by)

9781108031929, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 2 June 2011

358 pages
21.6 x 14 x 2 cm, 0.46 kg

Hector Berlioz (1803–69) was one of the most original and colourful composers of his generation whose music was in many ways ahead of its time. He was also a respected journalist and critic. Begun in 1848, his celebrated Mémoires were completed by 1865 but published posthumously in 1870. They are the best-known of his writings and reflect the man - passionate, imaginative, idealistic, opinionated and witty - and give a fascinating, first-hand, insight into his life. He shares his uncompromising thoughts on his contemporaries and the musical establishment in France, writes candidly about his love affairs and engagingly on his music and travels. This first English translation from the original French, published in 1884, will appeal to the music lover and the general reader. Volume 1 (1803–41) includes his childhood in the Isère, studies in Paris, struggles to establish himself and travels in Italy during 1831–2.

Preface
1. La Côte St. André
2. My father
3. Meylan
4. First music lessons from my father
5. A year of medical studies
6. I become one of Lesueur's pupils
7. A first opera
8. Augustin de Pons
9. First interview with Cherubini
10. My father withdraws my allowance
11. I return to Paris
12. I compete for a place as chorus singer, and get it
13. First composition for the orchestra
14. Competition at the Conservatoire
15. Evenings at the Opéra
16. Weber at the Odéon
17. Prejudice against operas with Italian words
18. Shakespeare
19. A futile concert
20. Beethoven at the Conservatoire
21. Fatality
22. The competition for musical composition
23. The Academy porter
24. Miss Smithson again
25. My third trial at the Conservatoire
26. I read Goethe's Faust for the first time
27. Fantasia on The Tempest
28. A violent distraction
29. Fourth competition at the Conservatoire
30. Distribution of prizes at the Conservatoire
31. My second concert
32. Marseilles to Leghorn
33. The scholars of the Academy
34. Drama
35. The theatres at Genoa and Florence
36. Life at the Academy
37. Sport in the mountains
38. Subiaco
39. Life of a musician in Rome
40. The spleen
41. Naples
42. Influenza in Rome
43. Florence
44. The Censorship
45. Benefit and concert at the Théâtre Italien
46. An order for a requiem
47. Performance of my Lacrymosa at Lille
48. Mdlle. Bertin's Esmeralda
49. Concert of December 16, 1838
50. Order from M. de Rémusat to write the Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale
51. Brussels.

Subject Areas: Classical music [c 1750 to c 1830 AVGC4]