Symphonie fantastique

Douglas Boyd conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra in music by Weber and Berlioz. Plus choral works by Berlioz from the BBC Symphony Chorus. Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique is the stuff of nightmares, obsessions, and dreams, music that illustrates a fearful story and at the same time is full of the most innovative and startling orchestral sounds. Coupled with the Symphony is the Frenchman at his most delicate in one of the earliest orchestral song cycles Les nuits d'été (The Nights of Summer). Today it is served with its songs shared between four fine singers of French song - which is how it was originally premiered. Plus Carl Maria von Weber's L’invitation à la valse as orchestrated by Berlioz the master orchestrator - who was author of a seminal orchestration treatise. In the interval the BBC Symphony Chorus performs some of Berlioz's many sacred works.

Live from Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden.

Presented by Georgia Mann

WEBER (orch BERLIOZ): L’invitation à la valse
BERLIOZ: Les nuits d'été*

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8pm
INTERVAL Live from BBC Studios Maida Vale.

Presented by Natasha Riordan

Berlioz: Hymne pour la consecration du nouveau Tabernacle
Berlioz: Chant des cherubins (arrangement of Bortnyansky)
Berlioz: Tantum ergo
Berlioz: Veni Creator

BBC Symphony Chorus
Richard Pearce (organ)
Neil Ferris (conductor)

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BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique Op.14 52'

Hanna Hipp (Mezzo-soprano)*
Jess Dandy (Contralto)*
James Way (Tenor)*
James Newby (Baritone)*
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Douglas Boyd (Conductor)

Part of the Radio 3 celebration
Berlioz - The Ultimate Romantic