The Cambridge Berlioz Encyclopedia

The versatility of Hector Berlioz (1803-69) is almost legendary. One of the major Romantic composers, he was also a conductor and musical critic of renown and substance. His reputation has gone up and down over the years, but orchestras led by Pierre Monteux and Charles Munch and Colin Davis have ensured that his work has remained firmly in the concert repertoire. Indeed, works like the Symphonie fantastique, Les Troyens and La Damnation de Faust – in all their many recordings – are impressive and complex, often with large orchestras and choirs, original instrumentation and fascinating cultural context.

His work...