The ''Mémoires de Hector Berlioz'' are an

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

by French

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

Hector Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...

. First serialised in several contemporary journals including ''

Journal des Débats The ''Journal des débats'' (, ''Journal of Debates'') was a French newspaper, published between 1789 and 1944 that changed title several times. Created shortly after the first meeting of the Estates-General of 1789, it was, after the outbreak ...

'' and ''Le Monde Illustré'',HBerlioz.com , Original scan of a Mémoires serialisation in ''Le Monde Illustré''
their compilation into one book was completed on

New Year's Day In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year, January 1, 1 January. Most solar calendars, such as the Gregorian and Julian calendars, begin the year regularly at or near the December solstice, northern winter ...

, 1865 Cairns, David (1999, 2000). Berlioz: Servitude and Greatness (1832-1869). Paperback, p.727

Penguin Books Penguin Books Limited is a Germany, German-owned English publishing, publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers the Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the ...

. and after much proof-reading, an initial printing of 1200 was carried out in July. Cairns, David (1999, 2000). ''Berlioz: Servitude and Greatness'' (1832-1869). Paperback, p.729

. After distributing some copies to certain friends, they were put aside until Berlioz died. After Berlioz's death in 1869, they were published in 1870. Cairns, David (1999, 2000). Berlioz: Servitude and Greatness (1832-1869). Paperback, p.777

. They provide an extremely colourful,HumanitiesWeb.org , Berlioz biography
/ref> if biased, account of Berlioz's life, and are invaluable to anyone with an interest in the artistic life of the time.

Editions

*Berlioz, Hector, translated by Cairns, David (1865, 1912, 2002). ''The Memoirs of Hector Berlioz''. Hardback.

Everyman's Library Everyman's Library is a series of reprints of classic literature, primarily from the Western canon. It began in 1906. It is currently published in hardback by Random House. It was originally an imprint of J. M. Dent (itself later a division ...

Random House Random House is an imprint and publishing group of Penguin Random House. Founded in 1927 by businessmen Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer as an imprint of Modern Library, it quickly overtook Modern Library as the parent imprint. Over the foll ...

References

External links

Full ''Mémoires'' on gutenberg.org (French)
Books by Hector Berlioz Music autobiographies Works originally published in Journal des débats Literature first published in serial form {{music-bio-book-stub