The Memoirs of Hector Berlioz

Possibly the most colourful figure in the history of Western music, Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) was certainly the most eloquent. His autobiography is among the greatest ever written.

Larger than life - like his massive works - Berlioz was a seminal figure in the Romantic movement and his book is both a personal testament and an account of his role in that movement. It tells the story of his romance with Harriet Smithson - with whom he fell in love when he saw her playing the part of Op…