First encounter with Berlioz - complimentary free membership competition

Your first encounter with the music of Berlioz may be of interest to others. Send the details to us at berlioz@aberdares.co.uk   A year's complimentary free membership of the Society for the most interesting stories, which will be published on this site. For example, Ashley Donaldson writes from America:-

I cannot contain my story to simply my introduction to Berlioz’ work, but must tell the tale of how he has tied into my life, in a way, since that first meeting. In my junior year of high school, I took advantage of my school’s music theory class. The first half of the year was dedicated to learning scales, basic keyboard skills, and the like. The second half was dedicated to music history- mainly studying composers. When the first day of our study of the Romantics finally came about, we were told about the life of a man named Berlioz, who had fallen madly in love etc. etc. As the music began (March to the Scaffold), I was instantly rooted to my seat, aside from each time I jumped in surprise at a sudden fortissimo from the various sections of the orchestra. The brass fanfare was enough to make up my mind that this “Berlioz” was by far the best composer I had yet heard. He remains so to this day, and will surely never be replaced. In the first couple weeks after our introduction, I could not go a day without running across something related to the great man in my own life. On the second day, the Witch’s Sabbath played on National Public Radio. On the third day, I found a first edition translation by Barzun of Evenings with the Orchestra. A couple days later my friend picked up Memoirs right under my nose at an antique store. Cellini’s autobiography nearly jumped off a shelf at me at a second-hand bookstore. I joked to my friends that if I didn’t have a date to my senior prom, I would make Hector out of cardboard and drag him along (fortunately that didn’t happen). I did make a an exciting little bust of him in an art class, though. The weekend my show choir was in New York City, we could choose whatever we wanted to do that Friday night. I wanted to see a musical, but, being a weekend in NY, they were all sold out. Then I discovered that Sir Colin Davis would be conducting the NY Philharmonic that very night. I immediately jumped at the chance, emailing the powers to be to see if I would be able to get the chance to meet him after the performance. I was told it would, but, unfortunately, it did not work out. This December, though I will be attending the Purely Berlioz concert at the Barbican- my first trip out of the country.  35 days and counting……

Menuet des Follets.....

My first encounter with the music of Berlioz,
By Christopher Follett, journalist, London 

Bonne nuit, bonne nuit!
Chut! Disparaissez!
(Les follets s'abîment)
  Spring 2009

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