Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 1st mvt Harmony and Tonality

Question 1

How does Berlioz establish the G major key at letter U, the start of the Recapitulation?

Accepted Answer

Long dominant pedal in G

Question 2

Which of the following are features of this work?

Accepted Answer

Lots of pedal notes., Strong drive towards cadences, many of which are restless imperfect ones., Use of dissonance such as dim 7ths, 7ths, 9ths and suspensions.

Question 3

How does Berlioz create tension and anticipation during the section from bar 46 – letter H?

Accepted Answer

Long tonic pedal on Ab, Unrelated juxtaposed chords, Dim 7 chords

Question 4

What harmonic features does Berlioz use during the opening page of the score to create a sense of yearning?

Accepted Answer

dominant minor 9th, Dim 7 chords, imperfect cadences, suspensions (7-6 and 4-3)

Question 5

What features are untypical of Classical harmony and tonality in the Development?

Accepted Answer

Rising and falling parallel 1st inversion chords in chromatic scales, Use of C maj (tonic) for the 2nd subject, Ends on secondary dominant 7th in G (i.e. A7 V7b of D)

Question 6

What does Berlioz do to establish the dominant key just before the 2nd subject (just before O)?

Accepted Answer

Strong reiterated secondary dominant 7th (V7 of V to prepare for G major)

Question 7

What key does Theme B/2nd subject in the Recapitulation start in which is rather unusual for sonata form?

Accepted Answer

G major

Question 8

What does Berlioz do in the final sections from bar 492 which reaffirms the key and gives a spiritual feel to the end?

Accepted Answer

Series of plagal cadences, Tonic pedal

Question 9

What kind of Classical cadence completes the section before H and where is this used elsewhere in the set works?

Accepted Answer

Cadential 6/4 Ic-V-I in C major, Mozart Magic Flute No 4

Question 10

What is unusual about the key of the start of the Recapitulation?

Accepted Answer

Dominant key of G which is not usual for Sonata form

Question 11

What are the main keys of the opening Introduction?

Accepted Answer

C minor, C major

Question 12

What does Berlioz do after the harmonically and tonally turbulent period in order to reaffirm the key at letter Y?

Accepted Answer

Diatonic harmony, Perfect cadences

Question 13

What is the tonality like at letter M and which other composer frequently used such tonality?

Accepted Answer

Unsettled tonality - also a feature of Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde'

Question 14

What harmonic device helps to establish the tonic key at the start of the Coda?

Accepted Answer

Tonic pedal in C

Question 15

How would you describe the overall harmonic style of this work?

Accepted Answer

Often functional with considerable emphasis on chromatic harmony.

Question 16

What key does the music move to bar 21 which creates a sense of growing excitement and tension?

Accepted Answer

Eb major - Tertiary modulation

Question 17

What keys are the first and second subjects in which is typically Classical?

Accepted Answer

Tonic C maj and dominant G maj.

Question 18

What harmonic device is used in the violin parts to create tension at the start of the Development?

Accepted Answer

Inverted tonic pedal in G changing to inverted dominant pedal (on a D).

Question 19

Which other Romantic composers were influenced by Berlioz’s use of harmony and tonality?

Accepted Answer

Wagner ‘Tristan und Isolde’ and other works., Liszt 'Les Preludes' - still tonal but very chromatic.

Question 20

What is the harmony and tonality like in the Development section?

Accepted Answer

Very chromatic but tonality still basically anchored to C/G.

Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 1st mvt Harmony and Tonality

Questions 20

Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 1st mvt Harmony and Tonality

Questions 20