Klaus Döring's Classical Music/Klaus Döring's Klassische Musik

  by  Maureen Buja    March 8th, 2026 The French Romantic composer   Hector Berlioz   (1803–1869) lived the Romantic life like no one else. He painted his life into his music, he conducted his love affairs in public, and never stepped back when he could step forward. August Prinzhofer:  Hector Berlioz , 1845 From this image, we can see so much about the man: his unruly head of hair, which so often figured in the caricatures of the time, his highly fashionable clothes, and the discrete medal worn on the lapel. Berlioz was born in southwest France, in the département of Isère. His father was a doctor, and a medical career was planned for their sole surviving son. He was the eldest child and had two sisters, Nanci and Adèle, both of whom were close to their brother throughout their lives. He was educated at home by his father, and music had no important role but did have a place: he learned recorder (flageolet) and later took flute and guitar lessons. The...