(1803 - 1869)
Hector Berlioz was born on December 11 1803. He was the first of 6 children of whom 3 died. He took music lessons at home from a visiting teacher and played flute and guitar. By the age of 16 he wrote a song for voice and guitar that was later reused for his "Symphonie Fantastique." In 1821 Berlioz went to Paris to study medicine. His impressions of the Paris Opera performance of "Iphigenie en Tauride" by Christoph Willibald Gluck turned him towards music forever. He spent more days at the Paris Conservatory than at the Medical School. In 1823 he started writing articles on music for "Le Corsaire." He abandoned medicine for music and successfully performed his "Messe Solennelle" in 1825.
Hector Berlioz Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Benevenuto Cellini (Overture)
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26 Prem 32/30/28
3 percussion
Triangle, clash cymbals, orchestral bass drum
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Damnation of Faust
2 Timpani + 4 percussion (d Timpani)
Snare drum, tam tam, triangle, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, D natural tubular bell
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Des Frances Judges (Overture)
Timpani + 2 percussion
Clash cymbals, orchestral bass drum
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Grand Mass of the Dead
Timpani (4 P) + 3 percussion
Tam tam, clash cymbals, orchestral bass drum
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Harold in Italy
Timpani
Int'l 29/26 Prem 30/28
3 percussion
2 tambourines, clash cymbals, triangle
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Hungarian March (from Faust)
Timpani + 4 percussion
Snare drum, triangle, clash cymbals, orchestral bass drum
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Roman Carnival (Overture)
Timpani
Int'l 32/29/26 Prem 32/30/28
4 percussion
Triangle, clash cymbals, tambourine, snare drum
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Romeo & Juliet
2 Timpani + 5 percussion (2 d timp)
2 triangles, Bb & F crotales (high octave), 2 tambourines, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals
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Royal Hunt and Storm (from the Trojans)
Timpani + 2 Timpani Offstage + 1 percussion
Orchestral bass drum
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Symphonie Fantastique
2 Timpani
Int'l 32/29 + 29/26 Prem 30/28 + 30/28
(4 players for the storm. Better to have individual timps)
3 percussion
Snare drum, clash cymbals, 2 orchestral baas drums, G & C church bells (or tubular)
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Te Deum
Timpani + 6 percussion
2 snare drums, 2 clash cymbals, 2 orchestral bass drum
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The Trojans
Part 1 - Timpani + 6 percussion
Orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, triangle, snare drum, tenor drum, crotales
Part 2 - Timpani + 4 percussion (2 doubling timpani)
Tam tam, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, crotales (E & F), tambourin, darabuka
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