Fantastique

The evening

This programme traces a journey from momentary spring light to one of the most vivid musical imaginations of the nineteenth century. Opening with Lilli Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps, which captures the energy of a spring morning: flickering colours, dancing rhythms, and an unmistakable sense of life in motion. A moment of intimacy follows with Schubert’s Allegretto in C major, performed by Steven Osborne. Poised and lyrical, the music speaks with characteristic Schubertian warmth, balancing simplicity with emotional depth.

At the heart of the first half is Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, a work as bold as it is unconventional. Written at the last possible moment as the finale to Beethoven’s own benefit concert, the piece was originally advertised simply as a “Fantasia for the Pianoforte”. Beginning with piano alone, it gradually expands in scope as orchestra and then chorus are added, building towards a jubilant final statement.

After the interval comes Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, one of the most remarkable and influential symphonic works ever written. Famous for its autobiographical programme, the symphony unfolds as a sequence of vividly imagined scenes, exploring obsession, dreams, delirium and nightmares. Yet, for all its success, the work also contributed to Berlioz being pigeon-holed as a ‘symphonist’, overshadowing his achievements across choral, vocal and operatic music.