"If [Berlioz's] capacity for grief, for regret, had not been so cruelly
sharpened, his music might not be what it is.  Sadness, suffering mark
many of his most characteristic utterances."

Over Christmas and New Year, I read the second 900-page volume of David
Cairns' biography.  It's brought on another of my Berlioz binges, with the
usual symptoms of nerves and exaltation.  Cairns' insights revealed new
relationships between Berlioz' later works, and deepened my understanding
of works I thought over-familiar.

A Berlioz festival began at London's Barbican Hall last month and runs
through 2000, with Sir Colin Davis conducting the London Symphony
Orchestra.  My binge began with "L'Enfance du Christ", sweeter than a
sackful of Nativity cribs, and I'll swoon to "Romeo & Juliette" next week.
Meanwhile, I wish to draw your attention to a wonderful new feature on the
Berlioz Society Website:

http://www.standrews.u-net.com/BerliozScores.html

After downloading the Sibelius "Scorch" plug-in software, you can listen to
midi extracts of Berlioz' music while the score scrolls on your screen!

Extracts so far include:

Ballet des Sylphes, from La Damnation de Faust
Prelude, from the Te Deum
Trio for 2 flutes and harp, from L'Enfance du Christ (sounding crisper than
on most recordings)
Marche Funebre pour la derniere scene d'Hamlet, from Tristia, no.3

Are the flutes in the Trio too piercing? "Scorch" will even let you
transpose the score and the pitch..

James Kearney
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