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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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Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48 (Hector Berlioz)
Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
DISC 2
Lélio, ou Le retour à la vie, Op. 14b, H. 55B
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Mario Zeffiri, Tenor (Horatio) - Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lelio) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Chicago Symphony Chorus - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Kyle Ketelsen, Bass-Baritone (The Captain) - Chicago Symphony Chorus - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Mario Zeffiri, Tenor (Horatio) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Chicago Symphony Chorus - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Gérard Depardieu, Narrator/Recitant (Lélio) - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) - Riccardo Muti, Conductor - Hector Berlioz, Composer
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
Album review
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
Details of original recording : Recorded live in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, September 23, 24, 25, and 28, 2010
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 19 track(s)
- Total length: 01:54:33
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Riccardo Muti Gérard Depardieu Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Mario Zeffiri Chicago Symphony Chorus Kyle Ketelsen
- Composer: Hector Berlioz
- Label: CSO Resound
- Area: France
- Genre: Classical Symphonic Music
- Period: Romantic Music
(C) 2015 CSO Resound (P) 2015 CSO Resound
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