Search - Camille Saint-Saens, Alexandre Guilmant, Louis Vierne :: Saint-Saëns: Symphonie No. 3 [Hybrid SACD]

An elegant, well-recorded performance

Orgelbear | 01/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes on the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony with cool detachment and turns in a fine performance. The Poco adagio is elegant rather than impassioned, while the finale is grand and stately but not at all over-the-top. The Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal has a strong, lean sound and impressive rhythmic vitality, heard to especially fine account in the scherzo. In some ways, this performance is reminiscent of the classic Munch/Boston from RCA, but where Munch occasionally pushed for a sense of restlessness, Nézet-Séguin lets the music unfold naturally and logically while maintaining relatively brisk tempos. Listeners looking to leisurely bathe in luxurious romantic sound during the slow movement or thrill to glorious bombast in the final pages (and a little bombast is a good thing now and then) will probably find one of the many other recordings--for example, the very good Maazel/Pittsburgh--more to their liking. But Nézet-Séguin is clearly among the top contenders in this crowded field.



The SACD surround recording positions the listener relatively close to the orchestra, with the organ some distance behind. This allows for a cleanly detailed recording in the big acoustic space of St. Joseph's Oratory, Montreal. The surround program is particularly spacious and clean--especially the impressive 32' pedal, and the 2-channel version also sounds quite natural. (By the way, no dubbing here as there is on some other discs. Organ and orchestra were recorded at the same place, same time!)



After its cameo appearance in the Saint-Saëns, the Oratory's 117-rank Beckerath organ gets a solo turn when resident organist Philippe Bélanger plays three enjoyable encores.

"

A French symphony in the heart of Montreal

jean couture | Quebec city - Canada | 11/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"MANY YEARS BACK, i became acquainted with the famous Third Symphony of Camille Saint-Saens thanks to an old LP i found in a local record store; that was the Mohr and Layton production with Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (RCA Victor LM-2341). I can recall that some folks at The Absolute Sound did recommend the work in the versions by either Munch or Paray. I think that, precisely, the next version added to my collection was the one from Paray on Mercury. With time, it has grown into one of my preferred symphonic works. There is no question that this symphony represents one of the finest realizations in modern orchestral music. The "design" of this relatively concise work, approximately 35 minutes in length, is close to prevalent Germanic forms of that period: "The symphony makes innovative use of cyclic thematic material. Saint-Saëns adapted Liszt's theories of thematic development, so that the subjects evolve throughout the duration of the symphony." It develops starting from a classic sonata-allegro form progressing toward a sort of fugal mode in the last movement, streaming through a variety of thematic transformations via successive changes of key, pacing and pitch. Possessing its own logic, the work instills a grand sense for unity.



The `Organ' Symphony (Symphony No.3) of Camille Saint-Saens is what i'd term "pure France," as epitomized through its gallic splendor and melodious atmosphere, its both contemplative and churning tone, and the unyielding rhythmic themes of its outer movements. This most beautiful of symphonies is quintessentially French and will sustain comparison with the symphonies of Berlioz and Bizet or with Belgium-born Cesar Franck's Symphony in D. I'll refer to the program notes of the CSO: "Neither a conventional symphony nor a true tone poem, the Organ Symphony borrows elements from both traditions. The form itself is unusual." This "unusuality" is perhaps the nexus of the work, at least as regards its motivic or thematic singularity and its inward development. 'This symphony is divided into two parts,' Saint-Saens wrote at the time of the premiere. 'Nevertheless, it embraces in principle the four traditional movements, but the first is altered in its development to serve as the introduction to the Poco adagio, and the scherzo is connected by the same process to the finale.' The symphony has its unexpected twists and turns (i.e., first and third movements), even if that is not a monstrosity of complications to deal with--at least when compared to some of the more massive symphonies and orchestral elaborations produced during the Twentieth century.



Maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin's reputation is growing quickly, year after year: Awarded by the Royal Philharmonic Society in the category 'Young Artists 2009', he is actually the principal guest conductor of the LPO and became the principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic in 2008. With his refreshing conducting style and proven technique, both energized and introspective, Nezet-Seguin is a candid gentleman and a music director whose capabilities are noteworthy. The Orchestre Metropolitain is able to play with panache and much more power than its modest size would imply. No one can deny the boldness and versatility of these artists, and the fusion of Nezet-Seguin and this orchestra can give outstanding results as is demonstrated by the recordings on the Atma label: It wouldn't be fair to ignore the marvelous discs of Bruckner or Debussy--not to mention the inventive works of Nino Rota. And there is a very decent, if not entirely first class, Fourth Symphony of Mahler. True, the brass section is not the strongest asset of this orchestra, although they managed to produce articulate rhythmic motifs with unassuming ease. But there is flexibility in the ensemble playing and it seems obvious that Nezet-Seguin and his orchestra are first-rate performers. The Montrealers are able to achieve exquisite melodies from the strings, as evidenced on this disc, and their jeu d'ensemble seems more secure--less cautious, less restrained here than has been the case elsewhere (i.e., Britten's Interludes or Mahler's Fourth Symphony).



The Orchestre Metropolitain managed to get the French flavor out of this symphony. Theirs is a supremely beautiful rendition of this well known magnum opus. There's a sense of vividness which is not often heard of these days. With this album, as with Nino Rota's `La Strada', the Metropolitain has confirmed how exceptional it can be; while not a "huge" orchestra, on some points it compares to greater world-class ensembles. Yannick Nezet-Seguin's direction has poise and maturity: He opts for a more reflective approach, plumbing the depths of the score through meticulous use of the instrumental palette. A reviewer for SA-CD.net wrote that "Yannick Nezet-Seguin's view of the work is indeed a very thoughtful, musical one. [...] He highlights the graceful neo-classicism of much of the music. Textures are often floaty, balletic, more proto-Debussyian than Austro-Germanic." Concertmaster Denise Lupien manages her section brilliantly and both conductor and players of the orchestra, especially the soloists, eschew the "hidden traps" of the score with discernment. The flute parts of Marie-Andree Benny are thrown with accurate elegance. The brass, which sometimes can elicit problems amidst an orchestra, proceed without a hitch--and so is the case for all other sections. I am remembered of a quite interesting program telecasted by Radio-Canada, named "5 sur 5", in which Nezet-Seguin was invited to "explain" the role of a conductor (chef d'orchestre): How does a chef transmit the emotion of a work to his musicians? How does he "guide" the musicians? What is his approach of the score (la partition)? What kind of technique is he using? Interesting stuff, indeed.



I beg to differ with the view of some people who found the organ sound "too thin" or "too weak" on the ATMA recording, and are inclined to dismiss it for some disputable technical issues. We have to consider a few significant points pertaining to the recording venue. First of all, the Basilica itself took crucial part in the actual performance: It was, perhaps, the most determining factor in the seemingly "magic" results given the challenge engineers had to cope with on this recording. Making a record in such a large, reverberant place is no easy task. The Renkus-Heinz company from California, U.S.A., experts in acoustics, sound treatment and specialty loudspeakers, notes that "the Oratory of Saint-Joseph Basilica, inaugurated in 1955, has a capacity of 10,000 people, measures 344 feet long by 255 feet wide, has walls of concrete and granite, a quartzite floor and an 85 feet wide, 200 feet tall dome. Its 3.4 million cubic feet space has an reverb time of 7.3 seconds, rising to 9 seconds at 500 Hz." The recording venue allows for a lot of reverb, indeed, which contributes directly to an airy and expansive sound (with a good sense of space around the instruments). Any pipe organ is a challenge to record properly. The king of instruments had to be "eq'd" in some ways, vis-a-vis the relatively modest size orchestra (about 76 musicians). As i assume they didn't want the orchestra to be entirely drowned out (!), the organ had to be "tamed" in order to shun erratic frequencies and obtain balance.



According to the opinion of Jean-Marc Serre (SA-CD.net article or his website), "it is very strange that the sound take of the organ would be so fantastic in the three solo tracks and so weak in the Third Symphony with organ. I think there are two possible explanations. The first is an artistic choice of the conductor who decided to present the organ as if a member of the orchestra instead of a concerto instrument (and probably told the organ player to go soft). The second possibility is a technical problem of trying to record the orchestra in a clear way with the organ far away and much higher than the orchestra. Obviously a completely different recording arrangement was used for the solo organ." First, i should note that i too found the organ somewhat "less powerful" than it could have been, a consequence of the recording--not the instrument. The producers of ATMA had to determine the best setup they can get inside that location, taking into account various parameters. I think, personally, that the results they obtained simply are stupendous--even if the recorded sound of the organ lacks the gigantic impact of the "more sonically complete" recordings. Reviewers Ed Maidel and Brian Smith (SA-CD.net) have had perhaps a more perceptive, less strict opinion than that of Mr. Serre--however good and accurate his review is on several points. Maidel wrote thus: "ArkivMusic specifically recommended the ATMA record of the Organ Symphony. [...] The disc is one of the finest sounding recordings of this piece of music (and the three others) available today, and the musicianship is nothing less than outstanding. The entrance of the organ in the final movement, however, is a bit too soft. While the tonality of the organ is glorious, it's just not as loud, nor with the accompanying chest-pounding deep bass one might expect. Still, everything else about the recording is first rate." Smith continues: "In the case of Saint-Saens' No.3, i have the RCA, Ondine and Atma SACDs, and have opinions based on over 50 years of listening to it going back to the old Toscanini recording: They're all good and exceptional in some ways. For performance, you can't beat the old Munch. However, the sound, while quite listenable, cannot compare to the Multi-Channel versions on Ondine and Atma. The Ondine (Eschenbach) is an extremely fine recording of a well-played but somewhat eccentric performance. [...] The Atma is a very good performance in a highly resonant acoustic, with an organ that is, as you say, a little weak."



The recording isn't unconditionally flawless from a technical perspective but it does convey with authority and refinement the art of Saint-Saens at the peak of his creative powers. More than that: The engineers of ATMA have succeeded in considerably reducing "bouncing effects" and unwanted echoes inside the Oratory, getting rid of distortion and a plethora of background noise as well. This is one of the recordings of this symphony where orchestra and organ were caught live, in real time--not "overdubbed" as is commonly the case. "The orchestra was positioned below the organ loft and, with the help of cameras for synchronization, recorded simultaneously with the organ. The presence of the orchestra next to the splendid organ within an acoustically rich and generous space allows this work to resound in its full, solemn dimensions." Of course, a trade off of some sort had to be allowed (in reducing the output of the huge pipe organ) but, in the end, it's a tolerable compromise and the effect is more than satisfying. I liken the ATMA to the fine Erato disc from Martinon (with Marie-Claire Alain) on which the organ impact--like his EMI recording--is lessened. Everything is not perfect in the world of recorded music: The legendary Munch on RCA is somewhat veiled and overly resonant and, to be wholly honest, even the remastered SACD can't contradict that it sounds a bit "dated" despite improvements. Idem for Mercury's (Detroit) rolled off, slightly colored sound.



The producer for the ATMA label is Johanne Goyette and the engineer, Anne-Marie Sylvestre. They were assisted by Martin Laporte, Pierre-Philippe Boulay and Francois Goupil. The recordings (Saint-Saens, et al) took place in December 2005. No doubt, some credit must go to those people chez ATMA for the success of such a challenging project. Johanne Goyette, who did part-time production for Radio-Canada, had for model Paul Hillier's realizations at Harmonia Mundi. This company was associated with American universities, which made it possible to polish the technical side of sound recordings. Her formation at McGill University was a turning point for her career. She typically seeks the excitation of the place, a lieu which reverberates. She often opts for two carefully positioned omnidirectional microphones in parallel, privileging the Danish Bruel & Kjaer microphones. She also favors the acoustics of churches. At the time of a recording, she often brings an assortment of podium, carpets and absorbent panels in order to improve the resulting sound. Intuition, study of what one hears and of what one wants to hear, dosages between direct (intelligibility) and reverberating sound (environment) are essential assets for the success of a recording. Several approaches are considered according to instrumentation.



Perhaps i should indicate that there are, as far as i know, two pressings of the same program--which is also the case for other titles in ATMA's catalog. There are import and "household-made" hybrid SACDs. As a general rule, i usually favor imports over domestic pressings. I listened to two different ATMA Classique hybrid SACDs: The import, manufactured by Sony DADC in Austria, and the North American (domestic) disc made in Canada. Superficially the label side of the domestic disc presents a glossy surface which fuzzes the text a little bit. The label side of the European import has a mat surface finish and the text is sharp and more legible. There are subtle but unmistakably discernible differences in sound between the two of them. Listening through the import, i found the music a bit more "involving". It's as if there were suddenly a little more hall ambiance and a slightly more airy top end. Whether a psychoacoustic effect may interfere to some degree or the domestic disc fails to generate all the excitement that the import pressing so utterly conveys, i don't know. But somehow i think i had to report this, for those matters should raise some interesting prospects and many questions. Perhaps some audio freaks more knowledgeable than i should find an explanation or conclude differently about this. Still, as i said, for the highest quality of product and sound i usually prefer German or Austrian (in some cases, Dutch, British or Japanese) pressings over all the others. Sony DADC have also produced CDs or hybrid SACDs for record companies such as BIS, Chandos, Hungaroton and Telarc, so we can expect the finest quality out of those ATMA discs.



My first encounter with the work, as i said, was the Munch Living Stereo LP. It's reappearance on SACD, with good couplings of Debussy's La Mer and Ibert's Escales, reinforces its reference status. The Boston reading of Saint-Saens is still the most exciting and has one of the most powerful finales on disc. It isn't the best Living Stereo, though, as far as sound quality is concerned, marred by a lack of transparency and clarity in the loudest passages. The SACD doesn't do miracles with the original but it positively betters some aspects of it. There are many fine versions of the Organ Symphony and, although i think that none is "definitive," the examples of Munch (RCA), Paray (Mercury), Fremaux (EMI), De Waart (Philips) and Barenboim (DG) are top recommendations. Add to that Ormandy (all versions), Mehta (Decca), Martinon (EMI and Erato) and this great one by Nezet-Seguin. The Decca recording by Charles Dutoit in Montreal (with Peter Hurford) is justly famous, but it is no match to any of those listed above; interpretively, it's an electrifying account but some of the very essence of the music goes missing. One would think the Montreal Symphony in their heydays to be no challenge to the "more modest" Orchestre Metropolitain but that isn't exactly the case. Whereas Dutoit was excellent, Nezet-Seguin achieves greatness. The grand von Beckerath organ of the Oratory played by Hurford is Philippe Belanger's instrument on the ATMA recording, except that Decca chose to record the organ separately from the orchestra. The differences are not enormous, per se, but the organ sound achieved by Decca seems less immediate than ATMA's--the brimming live presence of the latter is simply missing from the Dutoit recording and Belanger knows his instrument thoroughly.



The first movement starts softly before a gradual stairway of sound gains in volume. The tempo is taken at a proper speed, if just a shade slower than usual. The strings do not possess the purity of tone of, say, the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan (DG), nor do they have the splendor of the Boston Symphony under Munch (still unrivaled on this terrain). When needed, the brass of the Orchestre Metropolitain makes its presence felt with physical aplomb. Although a theme that follows the introduction is Mendelssohnian in character, we soon can sense a Berliozian (and Lisztian) flavor in parts of the music: Intentionally or not, the Montrealers have elucidated fittingly those aspects of the work. At about 10 minutes or so, an air--which reminds me the Nordic voice of Sibelius--appears momentarily: Fascinating! The Orchestre Metropolitain has seized splendidly that delightful feature (consciously or not, for the mention about that air is subjective). In the Poco adagio there is a hint at the dignified grace of Martinon or the radiance and uncompromising immediacy of Paray and Munch. At barely about 5:30, the climate becomes somber for a few moments, and here again Nezet-Seguin and his musicians are remarkably expressive in deciphering the score. This noble symphony is not just French; there's definitely something German about it! The silky and dreamy acoustic canvas is utterly atmospheric; there is almost a "spiritual quality" in Nezet-Seguin's interpretation. The music is sort of illuminated, as if glowing out of the dark. Its warm, heavenly tone reminds that of the Detroit S.O. under Paul Paray--arguably the finest version of that movement. As portrayed in the last part of the movement, ATMA's "handling" of the dynamic range or micro-detail shifts in nuances is excellent. During quiet passages the organ, though sufficiently weighty and quivering, remains unobtrusive vis-a-vis the countless orchestral fluctuations; even at very low levels the entire sound is "kept together."



The next portion (Allegro moderato - Presto) prepares for the grand finale. By the way, i'd like to underline the wonderful job of the oboe and of the clarinet soloists throughout the entire symphony. The movement calls for more energy and the awfully rapid successions at the piano are secured by Danielle Boucher and Jennifer Bourdages. The set of timpani is clean and clear, neither muddled nor muffled as so often happened in recordings; it stands at the opposite of the "ugly sound"--produced by the recording, i guess--of the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan (no less!). The final pages lead to a powerful climax at once massive and varied. Ormandy (Sony) seems to highlight some Berliozian touches throughout the symphony (except the Poco adagio) in his outstanding Philadelphian account. As for Berlioz's `Symphonie fantastique' it is the last movement which justifies the term "power music": The work ends gloriously with the resounding von Beckerath organ. The bass is very deep as to become nearly inaudible. Percussions (cymbals, for instance) sound reasonably clean and distinct in either multi-channel or stereophonic space: Certainly more so than the "graceless" sound of cymbals one hears on the otherwise famous Mercury recording for Paray. The Metropolitain's full throated brass is majestic and the ensemble playing never gets queasy or tiresome, while Nezet-Seguin's "candid" conducting is both concentrated and lively. The conclusion of the symphony is almost cataclysmic: To quote Paul Serotsky (Music Web), "...the Maestoso-Allegro erupts, with all the force of a volcano!" Even with somewhat diminished organ power, the effect is wholly emphatic.



The solo pieces show the full sound of the organ (and the Oratory) as the recording obviously benefits from the whole space of the hall. The Widor piece is of particular interest, ranging from softer sections to a hefty climax: There is a solemn stateliness to the piece. Listen to the very end to get an idea of the long reverberation. Vierne's `Carillon de Westminster' and Guilmant's March after Handel are charming organ works. This might be one of the best sounding organ music CDs in years. At high volume levels the bass impact is earth shattering. It is almost on par sonically with the monumental Dupre on Mercury (Widor and Franck), still and always a usual "benchmark." And Philippe Belanger's jeu d'orgue is deftly done in virtuosic fashion. It doesn't get any better than this.



One last note: The history of the Oratory of Saint-Joseph Basilica--the recording venue--is connected to the person of Frere Andre, a.k.a. Blessed Brother Andre Bessette, CSC, born Alfred Bessette (1845-1937). The construction of the Oratory began in 1924 and was achieved in 1967, on Mount Royal, near Frere Andre's small chapel (built 1904, expanded circa 1917). This shrine is a haut lieu for a myriad of visitors who come from virtually every country in the world. If only that record of Saint-Saens et al could add a bit of its own to the prestige and the history of the place, then all the people who were involved in one way or another in its creation must be proud. / Oct-Nov 2009"

WOW!

Chazz | Santa Rosa, CA | 08/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've listened to this work for decades, both on recording and live. This recording is a wonderful surprise. It captures the beautiful, precise playing as well as the long reverberation of the cathedral.



I think the organ sounds too distant here, but it is a good compromise. This is one of the most challenging works to record because it involves organ which requires long reverberation, and orchestra which requires relatively short reverberation.



A very satisfying recording of the Organ Symphony. Recommended!"