Harold in Italy

It was Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) who encouraged Louis-Hector Berlioz (1803–1869) to write Harold en Italie (Harold in Italy; 1834), his second symphony, in the first place. A four-movement work, it includes an extensive part for solo viola, originally to be played by Paganini. The virtuosic violinist, however, was already too sick to perform by the time Berlioz completed the symphony. Harold en Italie is a significant contribution to symphonic repetoire especially because it innovatively features solo viola.

Stolba, K. Marie. The Development of Western Music: A History. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; New York, New York; 1998.