Hector Berlioz symphonie Fantastique is, as the name translates to, a fantastique

symphony! First written in February, 1830, this symphony describes a romantic tale of
unreciprocated love and his eventual demise. This early piece of programme was
revolutionary and original at its inception from Berlioz handing out written programs to the
audience, to his initial idea of having 130 musicians, which was considered very rare to
employ.
Originally, Berlioz wanted to have 130 musicians play this piece for the first performance,
which was an astounding number to have play in a single orchestra. The score calls for over
ninety instruments to be included, a fairly large orchestra, in his time. The idee fixe
constantly appears throughout the score, which reflects in the programme story the idea of
the young artists love for a woman. At one point in the 2nd movement the idee fixe interrupts
the waltz, which is signified by the cellos playing by a strong and constant 3 beat pulse, as if
the young artist sees his lover in person. This interruption happens again in the 4th
movement, when he just about to be executed.
In many instances Berlioz uses certain set or variety of instruments to create an image. For
example, a full military band is created by having no strings play, only the brass, woodwind
and percussion, to simulate the picture that the young artist is being marched to the block to
be executed. Or when he makes dialogue between a cor anglais (english horn) and an
offstage oboe which paints two shepherds conversing with one another, as written in his
programme notes.