Berlioz, HECTOR

1803-1869. French musical composer and author of an inestimable work on instrumentation; an original genius, unappreciated in his own country until after his death, and with Wagner the most powerful influence in modern music. After repeated failures at the Paris Conservatoire, he took the Roman Prize 1830, spent three years in Italy, and acted as a newspaper critic in Paris while his works were neglected. The "Berlioz cult" in France was a result of the war of 1870. He is the head of the composers of programme music. His chief works are: Overtures, Francs Juges, Roi Lear, and Car naval Ro maine; Symphonies, Fantast i que, Roméo et Juliette, and Harold en Italie; Operas, Benvenuto Cell in i, Béatrice et Benedict, La Prise de Troie, and Les Troyes á Carthage; Grande Me e des Morts, Te Deum, La Damnation de Faust, L ' Enfance du Christ. | Literary works: Grand Traité d'instrumentation, etc., Voyage Musical, Les Soirées de l'orchestre, Les Grotesques de la Musique, A travers Chants, Me moires.