HECTOR BERLIOZ: MARCH TO THE SCAFFOLD
(FROM SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE)
CONTEXT
Symphonie Fantastique, by the French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869),
is a most remarkable work. Composed in 1830, this five-movement symphony
(subtitled by Berlioz as an Episode in the Life of an Artist) is a musical portrayal of
the dreams and nightmares experienced by a young artist (Berlioz himself) who
has poisoned himself with opium in despair at his unrequited love for a woman
who doesn’t know he exists.
Explain the context of
the music to your class in
an appropriate level of
detail at a suitable place
in the lesson.
In order that the audience should fully understand the story behind each
movement, Berlioz instructed that it should be printed in the concert program;
this led to the creation of the term “program music,” which is now used to
describe music, often from the nineteenth century, which aims to tell a story or
describe a scene.
The Symphonie Fantastique is also important in that it is the first time we
see Berlioz using his concept of the idée fixe – literally, “fixed idea” – a short
passage of music that is used in each of the five movements to provide a musical
connection between them; in this case, the idée fixe is used to represent his
beloved. In March to the Scaffold, the artist dreams that he has killed his beloved
and has been sentenced to death for the murder; he witnesses the slow march
to the guillotine and his own execution. The idée fixe is heard at the end of the
work, just before the blade falls!
The Opus You Lesson Plans can be used exactly as they are, but teachers are
encouraged to adapt the material in a way that is appropriate to the age, ability
and prior learning of their students. This may involve using some of the activities
suggested for different age groups, perhaps as introductory or extension work.
LESSON PLAN
Introduction:
Play Scott’s introduction to March to the Scaffold for your class.
Activity 1: Listening to March to the Scaffold
As Scott explains in his introduction, Berlioz’s music opens with the Prisoners’
March, and this is heard a number of times throughout the piece. Other melodic
ideas include the Fanfare Theme, heard at 1:21, clearly depicting a military band
through the use of wind and brass instruments, and the idée fixe, heard at 3:40 as
the artist thinks of his beloved. Play the performance for your class, pointing out
some of the main structural moments:
Time
0:15
Music
0:39
The violins play the Prisoners’ March, and the lower instruments play a
running bass line. Listen for the sudden brass interjection.
The Prisoners’ March is played by the cellos and double basses.
When they repeat it, the bassoons play a counter-melody.
© OpusYou 2012
Activity 1 (continued):
Time
1:03
Music
1:21
The Fanfare Theme is heard for the first time. There is a short contrasting passage before it is repeated again, this time with a busier
accompaniment from the strings.
2:26
The Prisoners’ March is split among different groups of instruments.
2:46
The full brass section plays the Prisoners’ March.
3:10
The music builds in excitement, and the tempo increases.
3:40
The idée fixe is heard, played by a solo clarinet.
3:47
The guillotine falls; drum rolls and loud chords finish the piece.
The Prisoners’ March is played pizzicato by the strings, while the
bassoons play a running counter-melody.
In particular, focus on the aspects of the music that make the music sound like a
march – for example, the use of two beats in a measure played with a strict rhythm.
Activity 2: Performing a March
Shortly before Berlioz composed Symphonie Fantastique, the Austrian
composer Franz Schubert published three marches, under the French title
Marches Militaires (Military Marches). You will find a simplified arrangement
of the first march on the accompanying sheet music, adapted so that it can
be played entirely on classroom xylophones if desired. Teach your class to
perform this piece, ensuring that they keep a strict march rhythm throughout.
Adapt the material as necessary for your particular context; for example, by
transposing the parts so that they can be played on clarinet or saxophone if
students are using their own instruments.
Activity 3: Composing
When your students have learned to play Schubert’s March, divide the class
into groups of four – if possible, with one player from each of the parts. They
should compose a short march section that continues in the same style, e.g.
by using similar rhythms to ensure musical continuity. When they perform
their composition, they could play the original march first, then their new
section, and finally repeat the original once more, to make a ternary structure
(ABA) piece.
Bonus Material available: Liszt’s Les Jeux d’Eau à la Villa
d’Este is also an example of descriptive music. In this
case, the subjects are the fountains of the Villa d’Este
near Rome. You could explore with your students how
Liszt portrays this scene in his music.
© OpusYou 2012