Search - Cesar Franck, Albert Roussel, Leonard Bernstein :: Franck: Symphony in Dm; Roussel: Symphony No. 3

Leonard Bernstein's rendition of the Franck Symphony, taken from live performances, is typically larger than life, with a huge contrast of tempo and a typically generous emotional outpouring. Folks who prefer a more classically proportioned view of the work are best advised to stay clear, but for the rest of us it's a steamy good time. What makes this disc even more special, however, is the inclusion of what is probably the best-ever performance of Roussel's fabulous Third Symphony. If you don't know this piece, you're in for a treat. It's a rousing, spiky, rhythmically propulsive neoclassical symphony in four elegantly proportioned movements. Try it, you'll like it. --David Hurwitz