Seattle Symphony, Berlioz "Symphonie Fantastique", Feb. 13, 2014

Okay, for what I am about to do, I sincerely apologize in advance:

Morlot puts the "Fantastic" in Berlioz's Symphony!

Tonight was my very first hearing of the "Symphonie Fantastique".  I'd heard snippets in music history class, when the brilliance of the idée fixe was extolled, and the professor laughed her head off about the scaffold scene while the rest of us looked on in confusion.  So, yes, I've been quite aware of its existence for some time, and perhaps the reason why I've never heard it until now is the same reason that I've been avoiding Beethoven's Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata and 9th Symphony...I've heard about it a little too much, thank you.

Apparently my stubbornness was a good thing in this case, because listening to this symphony live was the right thing to do.  The richness and depth of sound, to say nothing of the unique effects, could frankly never hold up in a recording.  

The symphony was written by a 30-year old Berlioz, right after the deaths of Beethoven and Schubert, and his youth (read: immaturity) and vivacity show clearly.  The entire thing is experimental, very programmatic, Wagner before Wagner, though the influence of Beethoven is clear at points.  It scoffs at the very mention of restraint.  Structure is meaningless, for the most part.  And the melodicity runs in one straight, storytale line from beginning to end.  It was written purely for the effect of sound.

Ludovic Morlot gave into that intensity and dramaticism from the start.  The crescendos were sudden and forceful; time was given for each individual effect to reach its full potential.  Sound was king--and I was sitting in a great place to experience it.  From one who has probably listened to concerts from just about everywhere in Benaroya Hall, including on the stage itself, I have to say my favorite place is in the corners of the 3rd tier.  The music collects and reflects in those corners, in particular the basses.  Tonight was a good night for basses.

The first movement, "Reveries and Passions: Largo-Allegro agitato", started out very differently from what I had envisioned -- or enlistened -- in my head.  Very quiet, whispers from the strings.  Murmurs of madness.  As I thought about it, it made perfect sense; dreams come on the shores of semi-consciousness.  The blatancy of the basses used in this movement, suddenly opening a chasm in the orchestration, was amplified in my corner.  I knew we were in for a wild ride; my first thought was "Innovative--and out of its time".  Traditional harmonic progression?  Bah!

There were some particularly beautiful moments in the 2nd movement, "A Ball: Waltz-Allegro non troppo", whereas the rest of the symphony was more impressive than lovely.  Even though it carries over the "fantastic" element, along with a distinct eeriness, the waltz structure itself tamed things down enough to let lyricism carry through.  His use of harps here had a stunning effect, and I was honestly surprised at how much their sound quality carried over the rest of the orchestra.

It took me awhile to realize that the instrument in the spotlight at the beginning of the 3rd movement, "In the Country: Adagio" was a cor anglais.  I'm not sure why it took so long; but the effect was striking.  At this point, the entire audience was more entranced than they would have been in a movie theater; we had been completely drawn in to the dream.

Movement 4, "March to the Scaffold: Allegretto non troppo", contains the very famous "bouncing head" idea.  Morlot made excellent use of the off-stage timpani in this movement, allowing space in the orchestra and holding the mood through every repetition of it.  Oh, and to whomever owns the cell phone that went off during the execution scene at the end, I was sitting directly behind the 1st chair of the 2nd violins (she was watching from the audience tonight), and she had a look on her face that spells Murder if she ever meets you on the street.

The 5th movement, "A Witches' Sabbath: Larghetto-Allegro", took home the cake.  The number of innovative techniques and effects used here was incredible.  It continued to be a good night for the basses in a particularly sinister swirl of notes sans the rest of the orchestra; and for the brass as well.  Everything was used--horns, trumpets, trombones and tubas--and not just for passing effects.  There was another particularly beautiful moment when the three trombones played a melody by themselves in contrapunctual chords.  The violins, at one point, were striking the strings with the bow col legno, for a bones-upon-bones effect.  Finally, the percussion had more fun than the percussion section has had since--well, any time.  Chimes rang from off stage; two bass drums played against each other, as did two sets of timpani; and a cymbal got to do what a cymbal does best.  With a none-too-subtle flourish, the symphony finished--and the cheering began. 

The audience was very appreciative, to say the least.

And the final thought in my mind tonight is:

"Wow, that was fun!"

Cheers
-G