I. Harold in the mountains. Scenes of melancholy, happiness and joy. Adagio – Allegro
II. March of the pilgrims. Allegretto
III. Serenade. Allegro assai
IV. Orgy of the brigands. Recollection of past scenes. Allegro frenetico

The “diabolic” violinist, Paganini, was present at the 1833 performance of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. He waited for Berlioz (1803-1869) after the concert. “He was a long haired man with a weather beaten face and piercing eyes, a colossus among giants. I had never seen him before and my very first sighting stirred me deeply. He waited for me in the hall, stopped to shake my hand and heaped me with praise which lit fires in my heart and mind” wrote Berlioz in his memoirs of their first encounter. Not long after, Paganini visited Berlioz in his Paris apartment and commissioned an orchestral work with solo viola. This external encouragement led to Harold in Italy, a unique blend of concerto and programme music. Berlioz could easily identify himself with the hero of the work, as he did with the protagonist of the Symphonie Fantastique. This time, the central figure was a Byronic figure, Childe Harold. The experience behind the symphony owes rather less to Byron's poem than Berlioz's own travels in Italy. The serenade movement depicts one of Berlioz's own experiences: “A serenade awoke me in the night, the most remarkable I have ever heard. A ragazzo suddenly shrieked out a love song with the full power of his lungs under his window, with a great mandolin, a bagpipe and some kind of triangle instrument, which in this region they call a “stimbalo.” And when the heart of this gallant ragazzo had nothing more to say to this lady and the song suddenly ended, I sensed some very important thing was missing from my life…”

Liszt's analysis is noteworthy: “Berlioz in his work rises above those contradictions which derive from the direct juxtaposition of heavenly joyful Italy and a heart filled with disappointments and pain; from contradictions which originate when the heart is forgetful of the great shadows of the past, when it reaches the hairs on nape of the neck from the prison of philosophical musings. The title of the symphony is Harold in Italy; the composer's intention is unmistakably to communicate what happens when a depressed soul such as Harold's encounters this beautiful country and its passionate, unbounded inhabitants. We see the wanderer surrounded by torments in a miraculous environment. Berlioz's Harold in the dark cave, surrounded by Italian brigands, decides to empty the poisoned chalice and curses contemptible humanity with his final breath.”

Paganini was not present at the work's premiere in 1834 and only heard it in 1838. After the concert, he rushed to Berlioz, led him by his arm to the podium, kneeled before him and kissed his hand. This shocked the Parisians, not least because Paganini also sent 20 thousand francs to the composer which enabled Berlioz to compose Romeo and Juliet. When Berlioz thanked him for the money, Paganini (according to Berlioz) rejected his gratitude: “'Don't talk anymore about it! Don't feel obligated. This is the most deep recompense which exists. You will never know just what uplift your music aroused within me. For many years, I have not sensed anything similar. But now,' he added and banged the billiard table firmly – %u2018all those who are plotting against you, will not dare to speak up, because they know I understand you and I am no pushover.'” Paganini's prediction was not to be fulfilled. Intrigues against Berlioz did not cease. Indeed, his good fortune only seemed to fuel envy and ill feeling.