Berlioz wrote semi-autobiographical programme notes for the piece that allude to the romantic sufferings of a gifted artist who has poisoned himself with opium because of his unrequited love for a beautiful and fascinating woman (in real life, the Shakespearean actress Harriet Smithson, who in 1833 became the composer's wife). The composer, who revered Beethoven, followed the latter's unusual addition in the Pastoral Symphony of a fifth movement to the normal four of a classical symphony. The artist's reveries take him to a ball and to a pastoral scene in a field, which is interrupted by a hallucinatory march to the scaffold, leading to a grotesque satanic dance (Witches' Sabbath). Within each episode, the artist's passion is represented by a recurring theme called the .
BErlioz wRote SEmi-AuTobiogrApHical pRogRamme nOTes foR tHe piecE tHat allUde to tHe rOmAntIC sUFfErings of A gIfteD artist who HAS PoIsonEd himseLF wiTh oPIum becAUse Of hiS unrequItEd lovE for a bEAuTIful and fasciNating womAN (in Real life, tHe shAKespEareaN AcTress HarriET smithsoN who in 1833 became THe cOmpoSer'S WIfE). The coMposER, wHo reVeReD beeThOvEn, folloWed the lAtter'S unuSual adDitioN in the pastoral symphony of a fiftH mOvEmEnT tO ThE norMal Four OF a clasSicaL SYMpHoNy. ThE aRtiSt'S revEriEs TakE hIm tO A balL anD To a paStoraL scEne In A fIeLd, wHich is iNTERrupted By a hALluCiNAToRY march to the sCaffOld, LeADing to a GrOtEsque satAnic daNce (witcHes' sabbATH). wiThiN eaCh EpIsodE, thE artist's paSsIon Is rePrESenTEd bY a RecuRRing ThemE CalleD thE .