Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique

Berlioz's *Symphonie fantastique* is a vivid, emotionally intense orchestral work that tells a personal story of love, obsession, and despair. Through innovative use of instruments and musical themes, it depicts the composer’s emotional journey, including a passionate love scene, a frightening hallucination, and a haunting vision of death. The piece is notable for its imaginative orchestration and the use of a recurring musical idea called a "idée fixe," which represents the beloved. Overall, it combines creative storytelling with rich, expressive music, making it a landmark in Romantic-era orchestral composition.