English Commentary by Sergio Cánovas 

Berlioz’s «Romeo and Juliet» was composed between January and September 1839, being premiered on November 22 of that year, performed at the Paris Conservatory directed by the author himself. The work was a huge success, among the audiences being a young Wagner that was inspired by the piece. The symphony is structured in three large parts: a first one that acts as a prologue, the four parts of the symphony itself in part two, and a choral finale in part three.

Berlioz wrote a prologue explaining the nature of the work: «It’s not a concert opera, not a cantata, it’s a choral symphony.» Voices and choruses are introduced into the genre, but the orchestra remains the most important, representing the two lovers because music can go beyond words can express. The text, while generally following the tragedy of Shakespeare, omits a number of scenes (most notably the balcony duet) and introduces new ones.

The first part is subdivided in four sections. It begins with a lively orchestral introduction as a fugue, representing the fights between the two families, Capulets and Montagues, through the streets of Verona. A solemn motif, interpreted by the trombones, shows us the intervention of the Prince. The initial fugato reappears briefly and soon becomes silent, to make way for a small chorus that tells the action. The mezzosoprano, accompanied by the harp, describes the drama. It is a descriptive prelude so that listeners can follow the action that the music will later describe. The Prince intervenes to stop the fight to the death between the two houses. The head of the Capulets’ family then celebrates a party, as the choir tells us.

Romeo, belonging to the Montagues, wanders around the palace thinking of his beloved Juliet. The orchestra interprets the beginning of the themes that will later be developed. The party ends. The chorus tells us the famous balcony scene, anticipating the melody of the love scene. The mezzosoprano, accompanied by the harp, sings the first love of Juliet in the song «Premiers transports». The tenor, accompanied by the choir, mocks the love of Romeo in a song that speaks of the spell that Queen Mab, the queen of fairies and dreams, has done on the lover. The final chorus tells us how death has the final power to reconcile families.

The second part begins with an andante for strings, with a theme portraying the solitude and sadness of Romeo at the Capulets’ ball. The oboe takes and develops it. A rhythmic figure, announcement of the dance, interrupts the nostalgic theme before a passage in counterpoint. The allegro then begins as a symphonic depiction of the great party celebrated in the mansion of the Capulets. Suddenly the party stops, reappearing the oboe’s melody. We see Romeo in silence, alone and sad. It ends with a conclusive coda based on the theme of the party.

The second movement is the adagio. Its most intense and romantic part, the famous love scene. The orchestra presents a warm summer night. A trumpet with a call based on two notes and fragments of the previous allegro sounds, they take us to the young Capulets who leave the party. Their farewell songs are heard, through part of the choir located outside the scene. Then the silence and the strings start the love scene. Whispers of the strings and sighs played by the English horn and the clarinet begin the subject. The passionate theme of the love scene finally appears. Sensual and passionate music, we reach a peak of romance. But it is not a totally happy music, being full of feelings that sense the tragedy that is about to happen.

The third movement corresponds to the scherzo. With a transparent orchestration, the fast movement is wrapped in dream and magic. It is the feast of the dreams of the queen Mab, previously mentioned by the choirs. The queen of fairies and dreams envelops the lovers in their web. The trio presented by the woods continues the crystalline climate. The fanfares of the horns intervene in the repetition of the scherzo, increasing the atmosphere of fantasy, with the percussion of bells in its final part. Berlioz had written a second prologue that he eliminated after the premiere and that he did not include in the publication of the work. He observed that it stopped the action and made the work too repetitive, for which it now links this part with the end.

In the final part we heard the sad funeral procession that accompanies Juliet. The choir participates singing a psalmody. First the orchestra dominates over the monotonous chant of the choir, but in the middle of this section, they exchange the roles and the leading role corresponds to the choir. Then the last symphonic movement follows. The procession is accompanied by an imitation of a bell, performed by the violins playing repeated notes. We hear the death of Paris at the entrance to the tomb. We see the dying Romeo next to Juliet’s grave. The English horn, basoons and horns solemnly interpret an extensive melody. Julieta wakes up, the theme of love on the clarinet is reborn. But the joy is brief, comes the despair and the anguish, ending with the death of the lovers. The theme of love is torn by the high notes of the violins played in tremolos, clinging to life. A violent fortissimo cuts the scene, a last echo of Romeo’s dream and then silence.

The ending serves to complete the scene, as a postlude. A stormy introduction of the choirs describes the entrance of the Capulets and the Montagues into the tomb. Fr Laurence explains how the events have happened. It is a dramatic recital for bass, interrupted by choral exclamations. He explains that he married them, then he gave Juliet a concoction to simulate his death. But Romeo stepped forward to his grave and thinking that Juliet was dead, he plunged the dagger into his own heart. When Julieta wakes up, she sees with horror that Romeo is dead, takes the dagger and also passes to eternity.

On his grave, Friar Laurence, through a noble aria, says that Verona will be a day famous for these lovers and their crazy families. He asks them to abandon their senseless struggles. The choir accompanied by an intervention escaped from the orchestra presents the disputes between both families. Laurence silences them and with their words, little by little they forget their hatred. The chorus accompanies the repetition of his last sentences. The music is relaxing, the chorus sadly reminds young lovers. We reach the final part, where the oath of reconciliation between the two families takes place. The friar pronounces the oath by a solemn aria. The choir performs the oath with the friar brilliantly, ending with an orchestral tutti that accompanies the phrase «Amis pour toujours!» (Friends forever!).

Picture: Fragment of «Romeo and Juliet» (1884) by the English painter Frank Dicksee.

Sources: https://rb.gy/09mb7 To check the score: https://rb.gy/xgn5t