English Commentary by Sergio Cánovas 

Berlioz’s «Harold in Italy» was composed between March and June of 1834 as his second symphony. It was commissioned by Paganini, who expected a virtuoso piece to showcase his skill, but when Berlioz showed him sketches of the first movement, he rejected it. The work was successfully premiered on November 23 of 1834, performed by the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire conducted by Narcisse Girard, along with Chrétien Urhan as the violist.

Paganini would not hear it until five years later, when he was already on the verge of death. He was so impressed he bowed to Berlioz, kissed his hand, and paid the commission he originally promised. Written for orchestra and viola, this is a programmatic work vaguely inspired by Lord Byron’s «Childe Harold» poem, also collecting impressions of Berlioz’s stay in Italy after winning the Prix de Rome. The hero represented by the viola is Childe Harold as well as Berlioz himself, with which he identified. Unlike in Symphonie Fantastique, Berlioz limited to just put titles in each movement instead of writing a full programme, letting the music speak for itself more that any written text.

The first movement is structured in sonata form. It opens with a long and substantial introduction, with a darkly chromatic fugato passage, beginning on cellos and basses, with a plaintive bassoon and oboe counter-subject. Woodwind add a melancholic tune which will be revealed as a minor-key version of the «Harold» theme, which was taken from the Rob Roy Overture. Harold (or Berlioz) is on the mountains contemplating the landscape. After a climax, the sinuous fugato continues.

After a transition, the allegro begins with an expressive and lyrical main theme on the viola, representing the melancholy of our character, which blossoms in a glowing climax. A vivacious and cheerful second theme is then presented. The development combines these materials, the viola standing not in a soloist role, but more like a bystander that ends joining in. After a forceful climax, a varied recapitulation of the themes begins. After an intense climax and a brief reflective passage, a brilliant coda ends the movement.

The second movement is written in ternary form. It begins with a nocturnal introduction, representing the passage of a pilgrim procession in the evening. Violins present a march theme over the bass line. A C note is frequently repeated, representing the toll of a distant bell. The viola then appears with the Harold theme, soon in counterpoint with the march. Harold initially contemplates the pilgrim procession, but then decides to join. The central section opens with the viola playing quiet arpeggios in a magnificent passage of impressionistic type, anticipating Debussy. The procession then resumes, gradually fading away as Harold is left alone. A calm coda ends the movement.

The third movement is very freely written. Berlioz was inspired by the popular music of the pifferari, strolling wind players, during his trip to the Abruzzi, a mountainous region in southern Italy, corresponding to a part of the Apennines. It begins with a rhythmic theme on oboe and piccolo, imitating the pifferari. English horn then presents a deeply lyrical main theme in form of a wordless lovesong. It represents a mountaineer from the Abruzzi region singing to his beloved.

The viola then appears with the Harold scene, representing our character watching the scene. The opening allegro is then briefly repeated, after which the music and tempos of the two sections are combined, while, high above, the Harold theme appears on flute and harp. It could represent Harold seducing the mountaineer’s beloved. Harold, happy, ends his serenade while the peasants leave the scene in a peaceful coda.

The fourth movement is very free in form, not adopting any standard structure. It begins with a vigorous and energic main theme, representing the brigands themselves. Follows a series of reminiscences on previous material; the opening fugato of the work, answered by the brigands theme. The lyrical main theme of the third movement then reappears on viola, again answered by the brigands theme. The viola then presents the Harold theme. Berlioz uses the technique of collage, anticipating by many decades to Mahler, Ives and Schnitke, among others.

The brigands theme imposes itself with spectacular changes of tone and dissonances. Rhythm, with the percussion unleashed, is now dominant, and brilliant orchestral colour. Towards the end the orchestral momentum breaks off, and we hear in the distance (two violins and cello, offstage) an echo of the pilgrims’ march. The solo viola is stirred to momentary response. Then its nostalgic comments merge in the tumult of the orchestra, and the orgy resumes and carries the movement to its headlong conclusion.

Picture: «Lord Byron on the Shore of the Hellenic Sea» (c1850) by the Italian painter Giacomo Trecourt.

Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: https://bit.ly/3lZnwBi and https://bit.ly/3lYRjtY To check the score: https://bit.ly/3G74EHf