Yeh Plays Berlioz

OVERVIEW

When it premiered in 1830, Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique astounded musicians and audiences alike with its innovative instrumentation, form and exploration of extra-musical plot.

In this Orchestral Excerpt Insight, CSO Assistant Principal Clarinet John Bruce Yeh demonstrates one of the work’s most memorable elements: the E-flat clarinet solo depicting a witches’ sabbath. When performing this excerpt, Yeh said his primary focus is on conveying the character to the audience: “In order to create this picture of the witch, you have to pay very close attention to the rhythm, articulation and dynamics.”