Search - François Le Roux :: Chausson - Poème · Poème de l'amour et de la mer · Symphonie / Juillet · Le Loux · Montreal SO · Dutoit

Dry and passionless performance

Some Guy from Ohio | Columbus, OH United States | 08/16/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As is typical of Dutoit's recordings, the sound quality is top drawer, and technically there is not a note out of place. Everything is perfectly in synch and in tune yet, for all that, this performance left me daydreaming and bored. The exposition of the first movement was completely lacking in drive, and the sense of architecture and contrast evident in Charles Munch's account is totally lacking here. But then, Munch's recording has its own problems, including the 1962 sound quality (average or below even for its day), occasional intonation problems, and generally weak brass playing. It is unfortunate that this piece is not recorded more frequently. In any case, the Dutoit version features an excellent brass section and modern sound. If you like his other recordings you will probably like this, but if you prefer what is, after all, a Romantic work to be played with a touch of Romanticism, I would recommend Munch on RCA (available currently as an import)."