Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique tells the story of a poet’s opium-induced dream, in which he sees visions of the object of his unrequited love, who in the music is described by an idée fixe or recurring musical theme. From a ball, to a scene in the country, to the poet’s death on the scaffold and finally a wild witches’ sabbath, this descriptive music is vivid in its depictions.

This recording is conducted by Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Esa-Pekka Salonen.