Taking stock: Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique

[fergus]

I find this to be an amazing work both in terms of the vision/imagination behind the work itself and the execution of that vision in terms of the orchestration and orchestral colour used to achieve that vision. It is a work that I come back to from time to time and enjoy very much.
It is a great listen for those who are not that familiar with the work; very exciting with a rich sound world.

The versions that I have in my collection are as follows:


Abbado – Chicago Symphony Orchestra [DG]
Beecham – French National Radio Radio Orchestra [EMI]
Bernstein – New York Philharmonic [CBS]
Van Beinum – Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam [Richmond]
Cluytens – Philharmonia Orchestra [Seraphim]
Davis – London Symphony Orchestra [Philips]
Davis – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra [Philips]
Gardiner – Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique [Philips]
Von Karajan – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra [DG]
Martinon – Orchestre National de l’ORTF [EMI]
Mehta – New York Philharmonic [Decca]
Munch – Boston Symphony Orchestra [RCA]
Norrington – London Classical Players [EMI]
Ozawa – Toronto Symphony [CBS]
Zecchi – Czech Philharmonic Orchestra [Supraphon]


Yes, I like the work!
However, are there any glaring omissions from the above list?
Am I missing any important interpretation?
What is your recommendation for yet another purchase?

[Jose Echenique]

Excellent selection dear Fergus, but you are missing my own favorite: Igor Markevitch conducting the Orchestre Lamoureux on DG. A thrilling, electrifying, devastating performance. Markevitch himself has a slightly earlier Mono recording also on DG with the Berlin Philharmonic, some prefer it to the later stereo, but I really love the Lamoureux. Another terrific recording is with Pierre Monteux and the Vienna Philharmonic, a class act of course. As for period recordings the Gardiner is of course excellent but I don´t think it worked out to record it in the beautiful hall where the work was premiered. I always thought the sound unsatisfactory, since it´s barely audible in the soft passages and sometimes saturates in the FFFF, so I would choose Immerseel´s with Anima Eterna mostly because of better sound.

[james]

I have this version for piano .. quite interetsing ...

James

[james]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Liszt-Symphonie ... roduct_top

Amazon has a second-hand version for £1.48 + postage

[Seán]

I love Berlioz's masterpiece. I only have four recordings in my collection. I bought the Charles Munch / Boston Symphony Orchestra ten cd box set in 2008 and instantly fell in love with Symphonie Fantastique. There are two performances in the box set and the 1962 performance is by far and away the better of the two, it is magnificent. The Colin Davis is very good too but I do prefer the Munch/BSO performance. The rest of the box set is very good so it's well worth getting but you'll have to spend silly money to buy it.



1. Charles Munch - Boston Symphony Orchestra (1954) [RCA]
2. Charles Munch - Boston Symphony Orchestra (1962) [RCA}
3. Leonard Bernstein - New York Philharmonic Orchestra [Sony]
4. Colin Davis - London Symphony Orchestra [LSO Live]

[fergus]

Excellent selection dear Fergus, but you are missing my own favorite: Igor Markevitch conducting the Orchestre Lamoureux on DG. A thrilling, electrifying, devastating performance. Markevitch himself has a slightly earlier Mono recording also on DG with the Berlin Philharmonic, some prefer it to the later stereo, but I really love the Lamoureux. Another terrific recording is with Pierre Monteux and the Vienna Philharmonic, a class act of course. As for period recordings the Gardiner is of course excellent but I don´t think it worked out to record it in the beautiful hall where the work was premiered. I always thought the sound unsatisfactory, since it´s barely audible in the soft passages and sometimes saturates in the FFFF, so I would choose Immerseel´s with Anima Eterna mostly because of better sound.

Your recommendations are duly noted as always Pepe- thank you for the advice.

[fergus]

Thank you for that James. I was going to ask you who did the transcription but I see from your link that it was Liszt.

[fergus]

I love Berlioz's masterpiece. I only have four recordings in my collection. I bought the Charles Munch / Boston Symphony Orchestra ten cd box set in 2008 and instantly fell in love with Symphonie Fantastique. There are two performances in the box set and the 1962 performance is by far and away the better of the two, it is magnificent. The Colin Davis is very good too but I do prefer the Munch/BSO performance. The rest of the box set is very good so it's well worth getting but you'll have to spend silly money to buy it.



1. Charles Munch - Boston Symphony Orchestra (1954) [RCA]
2. Charles Munch - Boston Symphony Orchestra (1962) [RCA}
3. Leonard Bernstein - New York Philharmonic Orchestra [Sony]
4. Colin Davis - London Symphony Orchestra [LSO Live]

I do not know which of the Munch versions that I have Seán; I must check that.