Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
Harriet’s Theme
Berlioz was inspired to write his Symphonie Fantasique when he fell in love at first sight with an actress called Harriet Smithson. He wrote a tune for her and then placed her tune within all five movements of his symphony, transforming it (and ‘her’) as an eerie story unfolds.
1. Harriet’s tune appears for the first time in Movement 1 (Click on the link below at scroll to: Mvt 1 6’20, stop at 7’05). Listen to this version of Harriet’s tune and draw a simple picture of her. Berlioz thought she was extremely beautiful. He first saw her at the theatre, on stage, in a play. Add this setting onto your picture
2. Listen again. Can you hear the rhythm played by the lower strings in-between the phrases of the tune? That’s the sound of Berlioz’ heartbeat as he falls in love with Harriet at first sight. Can you add this onto your picture perhaps as lovehearts all around her?
3. Berlioz then places this tune throughout his symphony and he keeps changing it as he moves his story along, seeing Harriet in different places, doing different things. In real life Berlioz kept a record of every time he saw Harriet in his diary.
4. As you listen to the different versions of Harriet’s tune, your task is to write short diary entires explaining what’s happening. These events took place in 1827 - 1830 but you can set your story whenever you like - back then, now or even in the future! Start each entry with the date and then under the date write the following:
§ The place
§ What Harriet looks like
§ What is she doing?
Berlioz wrote in an over-the-top poetic way, every diary entry was an epic story. Try to write yours in the same way. Things do get a bit weird in Berlioz’ piece so let your imagination run wild!
Here are all the versions of Harriet’s tune alongside the timings you need and Berlioz’ thoughts - remember you can invent different things. There is no wrong answer!
Version 1: Mvt 1 6’20 – 7’05 - 1st sighting at the theatre
Version 2: Mvt 1 8’55 – 9’35 - chasing her on a horse?
Version 3: Mvt 1 12’18 – 12’45 - total joy, did see smile at him?
Version 4 Mvt 1 13’55 – 15’00 - sad, is Berlioz praying?
Version 5 Mvt 2 17’22 – 18’10 - at a grand party, dancing
Version 6 Mvt 3 30’05 - 31’00 - Berlioz is relaxing in the countryside, but something has made him unhappy…
And then Berlioz’ imagination started to run away with itself….
Version 7 Mvt 4* 43’55 – 44’05 - marched through the streets of Paris. Her tune is brutally cut short, something awful has happened….
Version 8 Mvt 5* 46’14 – 46’40 - a witchy dance. Her tune has become strange and twisted….
(*these movement are on LSO Play, but the timings differ, see the teachers’ pack for more details)
When you have listened to all the versions and completed your diary entries, decorate your pages by drawing small illustrations around the text. You could even make a comic strip of all of Harriet’s adventures by dividing a sheet of paper into 8 sections and drawing one ‘sighting’ in each box