Hector Berlioz

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) was a pioneering French Romantic composer, conductor, and writer, famous for his dramatic, emotionally rich music and innovative orchestration, exemplified by works like Symphonie fantastique and the Requiem. Rejecting medicine for music, he became a master of the large orchestra, influencing generations of composers with his bold use of instrumentation and "program music" (music telling a story), despite facing mixed reception during his lifetime.