Search - Hector Berlioz, Myung-Whun Chung, James Levine :: Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique; Hungarian March; Chasse Royale

Excellent

S. Greer | Tallahassee, FL | 01/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard the following Symphonie Fantastiques before hearing this one: Muti/PO, Ormandy/PO, Davis/LSO. Each has its own beauty and is well worth having, but my favorite interpretation is this one, by Chung and the Bastille Orchestra.



I always enjoy an opera orchestra's take on a symphonic piece - especially one by a good opera composer like Berlioz. Opera orchestras and conductors possess a sensibility that their purely symphonic cousins do not - chiefly that of accommodating vocal lyricism and physical movement. Thus, as is often heard with Levine and the MET Orchestra, Chung and the Bastille Orchestra offer warm fluid statements that ring like a great song and float like a great dance. This performance portrays the character of the anguished lover, high and dreaming, in truly operatic fashion: his sighs whisper true; his passion is given voice. The rising tempo change by the violins in the first movement is the very quickening of his heart. So it continues throughout the piece.



A reviewer has written that there isn't enough excitement in this performance for his taste. I find it particularly exciting: the unity of this interpretation itself generates excitement - parts that seem choppy and somewhat disjointed (i.e., the opening) are here rejoined, thus retaining the energy that always escapes through the cracks even in the brashest performances. Also, the uniquely French sound of this orchestra does great things with Berlioz. (The English horn in particular is wonderful.)



However, if you simply MUST have perfect digital sound, be warned: the engineering quality on this recording is sub-par by DG standards. It is somewhat echoey and a little disappointing, even given that I can tolerate bad sound. There is no excuse for such a modern recording to be so poorly produced. But at such a bargain price and with fantastic filler pieces (especially the last, with Levine and the BPO - much better sound), this is not a set to pass up. Get it now."

Very Good, But Could Be Better

F. Adcock | Silsbee, Texas United States | 12/31/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This recording of Berlioz's masterful score is good, but I find a few things disturbing. For one thing, the sound is so restricted and tubby. The orchestra sounds rather small, with the sound unable to expand. The performance reminds me of Sir Colin Davis' recording with the Royal Concergebouw Orchestra - lean and well played. However, although both these performances are fine, my taste is for more exciting accounts, such as the ones by Riccardo Muti, Andre Previn, or Claudio Abbado.



The Hungarian March (also known as "Rakoczy March") from "La Damnation de Faust" fares much better. Recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the sound expands gloriously, especially after following the smallish-sounding "Symphonie". Nicely paced, the performance is wonderful to listen to. But, again, I like excitment. I have been wishing for years for someone to release on CD what I consider the perfect recording of this march, made by Sir Alexander Gibson and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the mid-1960s. Here is march music played with great abandon, with brass and cymbals given prominance, as well as a beautifully balanced Cannon drum. It's the kind of performance one hears as an encore at concerts, but rarely hears in the recording studio. Berlioz, himself, would rise from his grave and give Gibson's performance a standing ovation.



Levine's recording of "Chasse royale et orage" from Les Troyens is masterful, the finest in digital sound. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the RIAS Chamber Chorus/Berlin Radio Chorus are in top form, and the sound is great. Nearly worth the cost of the disc alone.



Although this disc is a mixed bag, many, I'm sure, will enjoy it."