Includes bibliographical references (unnumbered page 285-page 287) and index.
Contents:
Musical polemic: on "Dilettanti" -- Musical polemic: On Armide and Gluck -- The arts: observations on classical music and romantic music -- Concert Society of the Conservatoire: first concert -- Music review: concerts -- Gluck (Part I) -- Music review: Beethoven and the Dilettanti of Bordeaux -- Music review: Henri Reber Quartets -- Music review: Funeral service for Choron (I) -- Music review: Funeral service for Choron (II) -- Rossini's William Tell (Part I) -- Boieldieu -- Notice to readers idle enough to read my articles -- Gluck's Iphigenia in Tauris (Part I) -- Music review: À elle, letters for piano by Chrétien Urhan -- Gabussi's Ernani at the Théâtre-Italien -- Music review: Opéra: William Tell; Opéra-Comique: Zémire et Azor (Reprise); Concerts -- Conservatoire orchestra: first concert [Eighth season] -- Critical review: "Le Moine," text by Émilien Pacini, Music by G. Meyerbeer -- Third concert at the Conservatoire: symphonies by Haydn and Beethoven -- Music review: Royal Academy of Music: first performance of La Juive, Opera in five acts by M M. Scribe and Halévy -- Music review: Concert by the pupils of Choron at the Hôtel de Ville -- Concert Society of the Conservatoire: fourth concert -- Sixth Conservatoire concert -- Concert by Franz Liszt: Hôtel de Ville (Salle Saint-Jean) -- M. Cherubini's Requiem at the Invalides and m. Lesueur's Te Deum at Notre Dame -- On the score of Hérold's Zampa -- Mozart's Don Juan -- Religious music: M. Lesueur: Rachel, Noëmi, Ruth et Booz, Oratorios; M. Urhan: Auditions -- Opéra-Comique- concerts: Virtuosos and composers -- First Conservatoire Concert of the season -- Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots: Acts 4 and 5 -- Concerts at the Conservatoire: The Magic Flute and Les Mystéres d'Isis; Mozart's corrector -- Liszt -- Antoine Reicha -- Musical entertainments: Le Siége de Corinthe at the Opéra: M. Ole Bull; M. Labarre and his harp school; Music of public festivals: Paris artists and music lovers celebrating the victory at Fleurus in 1794; Amateur fund-raiser for the wounded in 1830; Huge chorus in Galerie Colbert -- The progress of musical education in France: M. Joseph Mainzer and M. Aubéry du Boulley -- Polytechnical society: awards ceremony -- Opéra: William Tell: debut of Duprez -- Royal Academy of Music: premiere of La Chatte métamorphosée en femme, Ballet in three acts by MM. Charles Duveyrier and Corali, music by M. Montfort.
Summary:
The quintessential Romantic artist of his century, Hector Berlioz impressed Paganini and Liszt as "Beethoven's only heir" and dazzled the young Wagner as a composer, orchestra conductor, and critic. To Paris and all Europe, Berlioz was known as much for his writings as for his music, yet there has been no English-language anthology of his criticism available until now. Berlioz on Music plunges us into the Parisian music world during one of its most vibrant periods, the revolutionary years surrounding 1830, still resonant with memories of Napoleon and the French Revolution of only a few decades before. We follow Berlioz as he confronts the transition to a modern, commerce-driven society where music as high art has yet to find a place, using his pen to praise or scold, rouse or cajole performers, composers, managers, and the general public. The articles presented here-given in chronological order and, with a few exceptions, in their entirety-are accompanied by an introductory paragraph and notes that explain Berlioz's references to persons, musical and literary works, historical events, and more. The result is an engaging collection of Berlioz's lively prose, presented with scholarly rigor and rendered in accessible, graceful English. Scholars, lovers of Berlioz's music, history enthusiasts, and Francophiles will delight in this compelling introduction to one of the richest periods of French culture.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.