We all know that drugs are dangerous and nothing good, but history is inflexible: opium played important part in Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. Smoking opium was pretty common in the 19th century, and historians suggest that this work was partly drug-influenced. It’s not a big deal, though: Colridge wrote Kubla Khan, his masterpiece poem, under similar circumstances. What really matters is how significant this symphony is: an early example of program music, Romantic period classical, favorite piece among listeners and performers worldwide…
Symphonie Fantastique was transcribed for piano by Franz Liszt in 1833. A brilliant performance of the piece is below. Sheet music of Liszt's arrangement, demanded and liked by pianists, is available here: Fantastic Symphony (Piano Transcription), H 48 Op.14
Haydn's Miracle Symphony No.102
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