The Resurrexit from Hector Berlioz's Messe solennelle (1825): A Case Study in Self-Borrowing Page: 44
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melody and its accompaniment were not separate entities, but were in fact one idea, in
which one part depended on the other.
Based on the sections that Berlioz himself highlighted in the Resurrexit through
transposition and repetition, one may deduce which sections Berlioz would include in
later works. From the letter Berlioz wrote to his friend, he was very impressed with the
effect that the brass fanfare had on both himself and his audience. Logically, he chose to
recycle this section. Also, the repetition of sections C and D indicate that Berlioz
considered them very important, perhaps even important enough to return to as a source
for later borrowing. The only example that Berlioz returned to that he did not seem to
emphasize in the Resurrexit was section B, "Et ascendit en coelum," which found its way
into the 1849 Te Deum.
For Hector Berlioz in 1825, the Resurrexit represented the best of his
compositional abilities. While the Resurrexit does not exemplify great innovation or a
break with tradition, it is an excellent example of early Romantic sacred music and
provides the rare opportunity to glimpse into one of Berlioz's earliest works. At this
early stage of his career, he had already developed his unique concept of melody. Since
it appears from the examples in the Resurrexit that Berlioz's concept of melody changed
little over the course of his career, it does not seem so extraordinary that he would return
to it as a source for later borrowing. Viewed in this light, the Resurrexit becomes a very
logical composition for Berlioz to recycle in subsequent works.
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Gill, Sarah M. The Resurrexit from Hector Berlioz's Messe solennelle (1825): A Case Study in Self-Borrowing, thesis, December 1999; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2249/m1/50/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .