Composer

:

Hector Berlioz

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

Oct 1849

Average_duration

:

20:06

Movement_count

:

3

Movement ....

Tristia, H. 119, Op. 18 is a three-movement work composed by Hector Berlioz in 1852. The piece was written as a tribute to the French soldiers who died during the Crimean War. The premiere of Tristia took place on January 11, 1855, at the Salle Herz in Paris. The first movement, titled "La Mort d'Ophélie" (The Death of Ophelia), is a setting of a text from Shakespeare's Hamlet. The music is mournful and melancholic, with a slow and somber tempo. The orchestration is sparse, with a focus on the strings and woodwinds. The movement is characterized by its use of chromaticism and dissonance, which create a sense of unease and sadness. The second movement, "Sur les Lagunes" (On the Lagoons), is a setting of a poem by the French poet Marceline Desbordes-Valmore. The music is more lively than the first movement, with a faster tempo and a more complex orchestration. The movement features a solo oboe, which plays a haunting melody that is echoed by the rest of the orchestra. The movement is characterized by its use of exotic scales and harmonies, which evoke the atmosphere of the Venetian lagoons. The third and final movement, "Au Cimetière" (At the Cemetery), is a setting of a poem by the French poet Théophile Gautier. The music is slow and mournful, with a focus on the brass and percussion. The movement features a funeral march, which is interrupted by a sudden outburst of anger and despair. The movement is characterized by its use of dramatic contrasts and sudden shifts in mood, which reflect the emotions of the mourners at the cemetery. Overall, Tristia is a deeply emotional and expressive work that showcases Berlioz's mastery of orchestration and his ability to convey complex emotions through music. The piece is a testament to the composer's deep love for his country and his respect for the soldiers who gave their lives in service to France.

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