Search - Hector Berlioz, Hermann Scherchen, Monte Carlo Conservatory Concert Society :: Berlioz: Les Troyens A Carthage / Hermann Scherchen

A Great Conductor's View of 2/3 A Masterwork

James S. Eisenberg | 10/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hermann Scherchen's attempt at recording the second part of LES TROYENS stems from 1952, and is surprisingly successful. His understanding of the dramatic structure of each scene is amazing. Even if his reading seems under detailed by comparison with Colin Davis' two recordings or the one by Charles Dutoit, there is a forward thrust to each scene that really moves the drama along.

Scherchen's 99% Francophone cast is also hard to beat. Every single one of them, a fine exemplar of French style. Greek mezzo-soprano Arda Mandikian (an old buddy from Callas' conservatory days) may not be idiomatic, but makes a really strong impression in passable French.

The singers are miked too closely, and the orchestral and choral forces sound a bit thin, but this is more a technical than a performance problem.

There are good liner notes and a full text and translation. (Oddly, printed seprately, not "en face".)

All in all, a strong recommend."