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Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Classical - Released January 1, 1974 | Decca Music Group Ltd.

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Admirers of Colin Davis' legendary Berlioz performances know that his 1974 recording of Symphonie fantastique was an outstanding LP in the Philips catalog, and that it has been reissued several times since on CD, each time to renewed praise. Davis is almost ideal for this work, which is precariously balanced on the knife edge between Classicism and Romanticism; few other conductors have the intellect and temperament to control the Apollonian and Dionysian impulses in Berlioz, and the sympathy for both the elegant and grotesque aspects so evident in this revolutionary masterpiece. This performance is a classic rendition that will satisfy both casual listeners and connoisseurs: there are no controversial choices made here (e.g., in the manner of Roger Norrington's period instrument recording, or dubious decisions, as in Paavo Järvi's wildly Romantic but distorted reading). Instead, Davis takes the Concertgebouw Orchestra through all the intense passions and hallucinations of Berlioz' over-the-top program, yet at the same time observes all the formal aspects of the work, preserving its shape and trajectory. Handled this way, Symphonie fantastique is compelling as a story of love, death, and the supernatural, and also fully convincing as a symphony, albeit one extended beyond the conventions of its time and filled with many innovations. This reissue is highly recommended.© TiVo
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Berlioz : Symphonie fantastique (Live)

Les Siècles

Classical - Released October 25, 2019 | harmonia mundi

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions 5 de Diapason
The large collection of antique instruments at Les Siècles' command makes its recordings more than just speculative period exercises, but something approaching musical time travel. Led since 2003 by its founder, François-Xavier Roth, this singular French orchestra has given thrilling historically-informed recreations of the repertoire of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries on vintage instruments that were available to the musicians of the time, crafted by hand, and possessing the unique sonorities and tunings of different regions. For this 2019 album from Harmonia Mundi, Roth and his musicians play Hector Berlioz's hallucinatory Symphonie fantastique and the dramatic overture Les Francs-Juges with marvelous orchestral colors and a striking textural clarity that almost makes their distinctive characteristics seem especially highlighted. However, this recording isn't meant to be a sonic showcase for audiophiles, because the drama, musicality, and visceral excitement of the performances soon override the novelty of instrumentation, and the overall effect of the presentation is a startling reassessment and a refreshing change from the weightier Berlioz of a Thomas Beecham or a Colin Davis. No one could write for brass more blazingly than Berlioz, and his skillful handling of the woodwinds is even more apparent when heard with early Romantic timbres. The ultimate pleasure of this disc, though, is found in the cohesion, agility, and passion of the group's playing, and Roth's confident leadership comes through in his precision and alert attention to details. Highly recommended. © TiVo
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

Otto Klemperer

Classical - Released July 19, 2023 | Warner Classics

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Hector Berlioz : Symphonie fantastique (Live)

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Classical - Released May 20, 2008 | Deutsche Grammophon (DG)

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An international sensation and instant star in Deutsche Grammophon's stable while only in his twenties, Gustavo Dudamel won kudos worldwide for his extraordinary musicality, wide expressive range, astute technical mastery, and acute perception of what works in a score, and he has brought great vitality and excitement to his performances of the Romantic symphonic repertoire. His 2007 release of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5 with the Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela brought critical praise, and his live follow-up with Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique with the Los Angeles Philharmonic is sure to do the same. What both recordings reveal is Dudamel's amazing ability to reshape whole passages of overly familiar music into fluid and seemingly spontaneous renderings that sound almost like re-creations and make listeners really think about what they're hearing. You may not always agree with Dudamel's choices, and his handling of the music may at times seem a bit too calculated, but once you are caught up in a performance, you are compelled to pay attention to everything this conductor does. Since the Symphonie fantastique is one of the most famous warhorses ever, it is always up to conductors to make something new of it, though few think it through as clearly or manage it as creatively as Dudamel, who makes the scenes of this programmatic symphony really feel like vignettes in an especially vivid film. He also finds ways to make sense of Berlioz's quirky rhythms, disjointed figurations, disorienting counterpoint, and sudden "scene changes," so that even the first-time listener can follow the piece's trajectory and make the necessary musical connections to the hallucinatory narrative. But beyond the specific touches that make this performance extraordinary, one has to appreciate Dudamel's artistic audacity and brilliance with the orchestra, which is completely inspired and utterly willing to play its collective heart out in this electrifying performance. Deutsche Grammophon's sound is spectacular from start to finish, and the enthusiastic ovation at the end of this recording is totally warranted.© TiVo
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 & Berlioz takes a Trip

Leonard Bernstein

Classical - Released March 9, 2018 | Sony Classical

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Berlioz : Symphonie fantastique - Lélio (Excerpts)

Michael Tilson Thomas

Classical - Released March 3, 1998 | RCA Red Seal

Distinctions Choc du Monde de la Musique - 10 de Répertoire - 4F de Télérama
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

André Cluytens

Classical - Released January 1, 1959 | Warner Classics

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Symphonie fantastique

Orchestre National De Lyon

Classical - Released August 27, 2012 | Naxos

Hi-Res Booklet
In a year that has already seen two extraordinary recordings of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, Leonard Slatkin's 2012 release on Naxos faces serious competition indeed. One might think that Robin Ticciati's excellent near-period style rendition with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra or Jean-Philippe Tremblay's authentic instruments version with the Orchestre de la Francophonie would simply crowd out any other contenders, notwithstanding the myriad reissues that appear each year. Yet Slatkin's reading with the Orchestra National de Lyon is a respectable mainstream recording that hearkens back to the no-frills style of Colin Davis. Fans of Davis' 1974 recording with the Concertgebouw Orchestra will recognize a similar approach in Slatkin's presentation, which is particularly close in the tempos, pacing, and homogenizing of the orchestra, which plays modern instruments. Whereas Ticciati and Tremblay seek the raw and startling sonorities of an early 19th century orchestra, Slatkin makes no attempt to re-create the style of the period, but works within the modern tradition of playing this work. This is a solid performance that is as conventional as Davis' recording was, and just as secure in interpretation and execution. Whether or not this performance offers enough impact to compete with the more historically informed recordings, it is a reliable Symphonie fantastique that holds its own. Collectors might want to snap up this CD for the bonus track, an alternate version of "Un bal," which features the seldom-played cornet obbigato.© TiVo
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Classical - Released January 9, 2016 | Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Hi-Res Booklet
This hybrid SACD of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique was recorded live in three concerts by Daniele Gatti and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in early 2016. Thanks to the careful selection of the best takes and RCO's superb engineering, this multichannel presentation of the symphony is a fine addition to the catalog, despite its rather conventional interpretation. Gatti's reading is in some ways reminiscent of the great 1974 recording by Colin Davis and the Concertgebouw, for both performances offer a full-sized orchestra playing modern instruments, and follow similar tempos, pacing, and points of emphasis. However, Davis' approach was exacting and unsentimental, while Gatti's is clearly more emotive and operatic in its abundant use of rubato and its theatricality in the last two movements. In light of the variety of interpretations that are readily available, from the standard 20th century approach represented by Davis and Gatti to the more historically informed post-millennial performances of Robin Ticciati or François-Xavier Roth, listeners can compare and choose recordings to suit their taste. Gatti's performance is aimed toward audiophiles, and the Concertgebouw sounds wonderful in its spacious and resonant hall, brilliantly reproduced through direct-stream digital processing. However, upon hearing this recording, experienced Berlioz fans might feel a bit of déjà vu and look for a fresher version.© TiVo
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Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique & Harold in Italy

Michel Plasson

Classical - Released October 2, 2006 | Warner Classics

Hector Berlioz was a master of program music, and for two of his most famous orchestral works -- Symphonie fantastique and Harold in Italy -- the program is an intrinsic part of the full appreciation of the music. As is so often the case in compilations such as this one, the liner notes fall extremely short. While it is not the responsibility of liner notes to provide a thorough history lesson, the scant three paragraphs describing the "story" of Symphonie fantastique and the bare mention of the idée fixe would do little to inform any novice listeners for whom a collection such as this is ostensibly marketed. Beyond the liner notes, the performances heard on the CD itself provide a satisfactory introduction to the orchestral works of Berlioz. The Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse under the direction of Michel Plasson is an energetic and capable group of musicians, but there are a few characteristics that prevent this from being a definitive recording. For one, the tympani almost always covers up the majority of the orchestra. The principal oboe's sound is sometimes quite shrill, not matching the warmer sound of the rest of the wind section. The ensemble does not always execute attacks in precise unison, and articulation is not as defined as it should be.© TiVo
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique & Lélio, ou Le retour à la vie (Live)

Riccardo Muti

Symphonic Music - Released September 11, 2015 | CSO Resound

Hi-Res Booklet Distinctions 5 de Diapason
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's label, CSO Resound, is noted for its extraordinary sound quality and its exciting performances, many of which are among the finest it has ever offered on disc. This double CD of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique and its intended sequel, Lélio, ou le retour à la vie, is a bit of a rarity because they are infrequently paired, due to the different forces required for each. Symphonie fantastique is a five-movement programmatic symphony for orchestra, while Lélio is a melodramatic cantata for narrator, vocalists, chorus, two pianos, and orchestra, which makes mounting a performance of the two works together a bit daunting (quite aside from the fact that Lélio fell into neglect after the Romantic era, while the Symphonie fantastique has always been a hit). For this performance, Riccardo Muti leads the CSO in a rousing, if solidly mainstream, interpretation of the symphony on the first disc, and he is joined on the second disc by actor Gérard Depardieu, tenor Mario Zeffiri, bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen, and the Chicago Symphony Chorus, in a performance that conveys the extremes of lyricism and bombast that are so characteristic of Berlioz. It helps to know French, though the texts are provided, and Depardieu's highly dramatic reading communicates the intensity of Berlioz's passionate expressions. But listeners will be delighted by the variety and inventiveness of the music, both of which argue convincingly for Lélio's revival. Highly recommended for Berlioz devotees and collectors of CSO Resound releases. © TiVo
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 (1962 Recording)

Charles Munch

Classical - Released March 1, 1988 | Sony Classical

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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

London Symphony Orchestra

Symphonic Music - Released February 12, 2001 | LSO Live

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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique; Overture Les francs-juges

Sir Georg Solti

Classical - Released December 8, 2017 | Decca Music Group Ltd.

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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Charles Dutoit

Classical - Released January 1, 1985 | Decca Music Group Ltd.

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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48 & Lélio, Op. 14b, H. 55B (Live)

Wiener Symphoniker

Classical - Released May 24, 2019 | Wiener Symphoniker

Hi-Res Booklet
It’s from Vienna, not Paris, that this new recording of the Symphonie fantastique is brought to us under the direction of Philippe Jordan. The Swiss conductor wears several hats, since he is the musical director of the Paris Opera and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, with whom he conducted this Berliozian recording at the Musikverein in Vienna.The year of Berlioz (2019 marks 150 years since his death) saw many new versions of the Fantastique cropping up. This album stands out through its coupling with Lélio, ou Le Retour à la vie, a work which, according to Berlioz, “must be heard immediately after the Symphonie Fantastique, of which it is the end and the complement”. As an extraordinary autobiographical work, Lélio is accompanied by a monologue read by an actor; here, it is the ex-singer and actor Jean-Philippe Lafont who represents Berlioz as he struggles to overcome his despair. It’s a deep reflection under the auspices of Shakespeare as well as a mise en abyme of the life of an artist facing up to his demons. © François Hudry/Qobuz
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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Classical - Released January 1, 1960 | Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd.

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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Episode de la vie d'un artiste, Op. 14

Le Balcon

Classical - Released September 16, 2016 | Alpha Classics

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LISZT: Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique (Transcription)

Idil Biret

Classical - Released August 1, 2006 | Naxos

Franz Liszt's admiration of Hector Berlioz and enthusiasm for the Symphonie fantastique led to this spectacular 1833 transcription. To show how highly he regarded the composer and this piece, Liszt applied the same energy and attention to detail he devoted to his transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies and published the arrangement at his own expense. Yet as far as Liszt's intentions were those of an enthusiast who sincerely wanted to spread his friend's innovative music far and wide, he did not forget to make it a splendid showpiece for his own use. Liszt's flamboyance is not as excessive as it is in later transcriptions, and the original music is kept largely intact. However, there are enough chromatic runs and stacked chords to demonstrate that this is a virtuoso's work and not merely a note-for-note reduction. Idil Biret gives a remarkably agile performance, and she is especially energetic in the fast movements. Her performance of "Un bal" is brisk and breathtaking. The only disappointment in her reading is the third movement, "Scène aux champs," which lacks coherence and, in comparison to the outer movements, is too bland to sustain interest. The recorded sound is generally good, though the piano's low register lacks full resonance.© TiVo