November 2003 International Berlioz Conference
Berlioz Bicentennial Conference:
Hector Berlioz in the Age of French Romanticism
November 11-12, University of North Texas, Denton Texas
Celebrating the 200th birthday of the composer
These events are free and open to the public
Hector Berlioz was born in La Côte St André in 1803 (southeastern France), and died in Paris in 1869. He is commonly seen as the most important French composer of the mid-nineteenth century. He was not only a composer but also an "artist" in the sense of French romanticism.
His works reveal an individual relationship between poetic ideas, dramatic effect and orchestral color. Named the "Victor Hugo in music" (Joseph D'Ortique), Berlioz transformed the principal aesthetic ideas of the "Jeune France" into musical expression. His sensitivity for the creation of the unique musical language according to the characters of the subjects that he used for his dramatic symphonies was of high influence for later composers. In his critical and poetic writings he describes musical subjects in a typical romantic style, continuously mentioning his primary paragons Gluck, Beethoven, Virgil, and Shakespeare.
The conference will focus on interdisciplinary aspects of music history/theory and literature-criticism/aesthetics related to Hector Berlioz and his context:
* Berlioz's approach to (and reflection of) poetic ideas and concepts and their impact on his musical style
* Berlioz's relationship to former and contemporary composers: acceptance and transformation of compositional techniques and aesthetics in comparison
* Berlioz's writings with a focus on French Romanticism and contemporary critical writing
* Literature of the French Romantic era: topics, characters, and transformations
There will be approximately 12 papers in 3-4 sessions, a choir concert, and vocal recital, a reception and a keynote lecture. International and national contributors will come from different areas of research (French literature, musicology, and music theory).
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Program
These events are free and open to the public
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
* 9-9:30 a.m., Concert Hall: Opening Session
* 9:30-12, Concert Hall: Session I
* 1:30, Concert Hall: Session II
* 6 p.m., Concert Hall: Berlioz Recital I (Vocal Music)
* 7:30 p.m., Hanna's Restaurant: Dinner for participants and guests
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
* 9 a.m., Concert Hall: Session III
* 11:45 a.m., Concert Hall: Keynote Lecture
* 12:30 Union, Gateway Center, The Club: Lunch
* 2 p.m., Concert Hall: Berlioz Recital II
* 2:30 MUS 321: Session IV
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Sessions
These events are free and open to the public
(Click on individual names for paper abstract and bio)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Opening session: 9 a.m., Concert Hall
* Welcome addresses: Dr. James Scott, Dean of the College of Music at UNT and Dr. Lester Brothers, Chair of the Division of History, Theory, and Ethnomusicology
* Dr. Frank Heidlberger: Introduction to the conference
Session I: 9:30 a.m., Concert Hall
Chair: Dr. David Schwarz, topics: Requiem, Ouvertures, Mendelssohn)
* Dr. Vera Micznik (University of British Columbia, Vancouver) Berlioz's "Surtitles" in Les Troyens and the Requiem
* Dr. John Michael Cooper (UNT) Berlioz and Mendelssohn: Obscure(d) Affinities
* Michael Lively (UNT) The "Narrative" in Harold en Italie
* Stephen Rodgers (Yale University) Mixing Genres, Mixing Forms: Sonata and Song in Le Carnaval Romain
Session II: 1:30 p.m., Concert Hall
Chair: Dr. Lester Brothers, topics: Berlioz and the Sister Arts, French Romanticism, Dramatic Works, Reception)
* Dr. Alexandra Wettlaufer (University of Texas, Austin) Composing Romantic Identity: Berlioz and the Sister Arts
* Dr. Claude Fouillade (New Mexico State University) Berlioz, Hugo and French Romanticism
* Dr. Jeffrey Langford (Manhattan School of Music, NY) The Intersection of Autobiography and Literature in the Dramatic Works of Berlioz
* Dr. Arnold Jacobshagen (Universität Bayreuth, Germany) Berlioz and the German Critics
* Antonio Baldassarre (Universität Zürich) Aspects of the Reception of Berlioz's Music in Prague in the Late 1840s
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Session III: 9 a.m., Concert Hall
Chair: Dr. Deanna Bush, topics: Berlioz and Literature, Romeo et Juliette)
* Jennifer Hambrick (University of Iowa) The Composer as Littérateur: Berlioz's Roméo et Juliette and the Aesthetics of the Symphonie dramatique
* David Odegaard (UNT) Key-relationships in Roméo et Juliette
* Dr. Michael Collins (UNT) Refining the Knowledge of Revisions in Berlioz's Roméo et Juliette
Session IV: 2:30 p.m., MUS 321
Chair: Chair: Dr. Stephen Slottow, topics: Performance Practice, Faust, Berlioz and Religion)
* Dr. Dorothea Baumann (Universität Zürich) Hector Berlioz's writings, an invaluable source for the history of performance practice and its relation to room acoustics
* Dr. Graham Phipps (UNT) A Nineteenth-Century Interpretation of the Perfect Consonance that may not be Sung: Hector Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust
* Panel Discussion: Berlioz's Religion between Empire and Melancholy (John Dribus, Dr. Frank Heidlberger, William McGinney, all UNT)
KEYNOTE LECTURE: Wednesday, November 12, 11:45 a.m.: Dr. D. Kern Holoman (University of California at Davis) Berlioz, Lately
VOCAL RECITAL: Tuesday, November 11, 6 p.m., Concert Hall
RECITAL WITH ARRANGEMENTS OF BERLIOZ'S MUSIC: Wednesday, November 12, 2 p.m., Concert Hall
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Concerts
These events are free and open to the public
Tuesday, November 11, 2003, 6pm, Concert Hall
VOCAL RECITAL:
* From La Damnation de Faust "Une Puce Gentille," Le Chasseur Danois, Op. 19, No. 6: Jeffrey Snider, baritone.
* From Roméo et Juliette "Premiers transports que nul n'oublie": Linda di Fiore, contralto.
* Adieu, Bessy, Op. 2 No. 8, Petit Oiseau, Op. 13 No. 2, Les Champs, Op. 19, No. 2: Stephen Austin, tenor, Harold Heiberg, piano.
* Zaide (Bolero), Op. 19, No. 1: Lynn Eustis, soprano, Mark Ford, Castanets.
* From Beatrice et Benedict "Hero, d'un coeur aimant, sera la joie et la bonheur supreme": Lynn Eustis, Hero, Elizabeth King, Beatrice, Linda Di Fiore, Ursula.
Wednesday, November 12, 2003, 2pm, Concert Hall
BERLIOZ AND CONTEMPORARIES IN THE CHAMBER - Arrangements of Berlioz's works for chamber ensembles
* Hector Berlioz: Hungarian March, from La Damnation de Faust, Graduate Wind Quintet: Maria Harman, flute, Josh Arvizu, oboe, Garry Evans, clarinet, Noel Garcia, bassoon, Mike Harcrow, horn.
* Antoine Reicha: Bläserquintett Es-Dur, Op. 88, No. 2, Graduate Wind Quintet
* Hector Berlioz: Dance of the Sylphes, from La Damnation de Faust, LeeAnne Skul, flute, Natalia Bolshakova, piano
* Hector Berlioz: Reverie for violin and piano, Iskandar Kamilov, violin, Natalia Bolshakova, piano
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Papers
* D. Kern Holoman (University of California at Davis), Keynote lecture: Berlioz, Lately
* Vera Micznik (University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada), Berlioz's 'Surtitles' in the Requiem
* Claude Fouillade (New Mexico State University), Berlioz, Hugo and French Romanticism
* Arnold Jacobshagen (Universität Bayreuth, Germany), Berlioz and the German Critics
* Alexandra Wettlaufer (UT Austin, TX), Composing Romantic Identity: Berlioz and the Sister Arts
* Jeffrey Langford (Manhattan School of Music, NY), The Intersection of Autobiography and Literature in the Dramatic Works of Berlioz
* Jennifer Hambrick (University of Iowa), The Composer as Littérateur: Berlioz's Roméo et Juliette and the Aesthetics of the Symphonie dramatique
* Stephen Rodgers (Yale University), Mixing Genres, Mixing Forms: Sonata and Song in Le Carnaval romain
* Dorothea Baumann (Universität Zürich) Hector Berlioz's writings, an invaluable source for the history of performance practice and its relation to room acoustics
* Michael Collins (UNT), [Manuscript Studies on Roméo et Juliette]
* Michael Cooper (UNT), Mendelssohn's Berlioz, Berlioz's Mendelssohn
* Graham Phipps (UNT), [Damnation de Faust]
* David Odegaard (UNT), Key-relationships in Roméo et Juliette
* Michael Lively (UNT) The Narrative in Harold en Italie
* Panel Discussion: Berlioz - Atheist between Empire and Industry? a) Frank Heidlberger (UNT), Introductory Remarks, b) William McGinney (UNT): Berlioz's Religious works c) John Dribus (UNT): Berlioz and Faust