Berlioz: Works for Orchestra (Live)

Featuring

Sir Andrew Davis
James Ehnes
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Hector Berlioz

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Composition History

Berlioz frequently reused musical material from earlier works that had been rejected by the public or himself, incorporating them into new compositions.

Compositional Technique

The final movement of Harold en Italie employs a technique of parading previous themes, a device borrowed from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, to musically unify the work.

Recording & Production

This recording utilizes 24-bit / 96 kHz technology, which offers a dynamic range up to 48 dB greater and 256 times the resolution of standard 16-bit recordings.

Performer Biography

James Ehnes, the violinist and violist on this recording, plays the 'Marsick' Stradivarius of 1715, on loan from Beare Violins, Ltd.

Composer Biography

Hector Berlioz, the composer, was a winner of the Prix de Rome, a prize instituted by the French Government to enable French artists to study in an environment of classical art.

Recording & Production

The recording was made in Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, Australia, with sessions taking place in August and November 2014.

Composition History

The symphony Harold en Italie was commissioned by Niccolò Paganini, a virtuoso violinist, who admired Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique and wanted a piece to showcase his Stradivarius viola.