Blind Comparison: Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique

[Brian]

Group B

B1: A rather brisk intro, I think, but well done for what it is; the allegro isn't as 'sharp' as I would wish after hearing what's done in the intro. The timpani are boomy and baggy, the ensemble not as tightly drilled as I expected from the intro.

The finale, by contrast, gets off to a slow start. Sharp, snarly brass! In both movements I notice big pauses. I like the offstage placement of the chimes, but they are sometimes inaudible and most definitely Wimpy (-0.5). I'm unimpressed with the Dies irae section as a whole. Rating: 6 of 10.

B2: Am I a sucker for analog tape hiss in this symphony? I'm liking all the oldest recordings. It took about 15 seconds to know I'd be enjoying this one. The romantic sweep, the pliability of the strings, the feeling like the orchestra is guided more by emotion than by a script. The timpani's entrance is swept under the rug by the sound, but those lower-string "heartbeats" as the motto theme appears are irresistible. Oh I love that the repeat is taken, because this is a great performance.

Finale: Almost everything is going extremely well, but it's odd that the screeching winds don't include glissandi (22:59). The horn manages one in his/her second solo (23:08). Clarinet solo: a little underwhelmingly miked, but good. Oh god this orchestra's having such fun. Nooooo Wimpy chimes (-0.5). Still, this might be the best Wimpy Chime Version I've ever heard. I am dying to hear more. Rating: 9 of 10.

B3: The initial flute solo is like none I've ever heard. This seems to be a chamber orchestra, and its account introduces phrasing and stresses I've never quite heard that way elsewhere. Oooh yes, the last few moments before the allegro seal my initial opinion: though the orchestra feels small, this is a decidedly individual account, not at all content to do things generically. I admire that bravery. I do have a bit of a problem with the missing timpani.

Do I hear hiss as the finale starts? Yet again I like them old! A brisk, well-managed beginning here. As with B2, missing glissandi. Maybe that's a recent innovation? Not the best clarinet solo, and the chimes are downright weird. Like... huh? Guess I have to -0.5. Wow, the tuba has some kind of vibrato to it, and I don't hear bassoons. The brass section is tiny. This is not going to be something I love, maybe, but it's certainly intriguing enough, and different enough, to advance. Rating: 7.5 of 10.

B4: I can see what aukhawk means: this is a luxury car of an account, a big orchestra (especially after B3) with really lush romantic sweep, almost cinematic. Some imperfections in the intro, but for a "standard" account it's hard to top this. Oh man, such forceful timpani. Oh I think I know exactly who this is. It's my personal favorite performance, even though now I hear an ugly 'split' in the violins as they state the main theme.

The finale is in all particulars superb, with snarling brass, a really sassy clarinet solo, and great chimes. Am I biased? C'mon, this is awesome. Yes, it's gloriously over-the-top, but this is Symphonie fantastique. I'm freaking GRADING on whether they're over-the-top. Rating: 9.5 of 10.

B5: Slooow intro. The allegro really speeds things up, a contrast I'm not especially keen on; doesn't make much sense. And after the high-octane reading in B4, this main movement feels pretty dull too, mostly. A glossy orchestra on autopilot.

Deep chimes, maybe a little too light/thin in their tone despite being the right pitch, are part of a totally unremarkable finale. I'd like this to end soon, please. By the end the chimes are actually out of time with the rest of the band! Rating: 4 of 10.

B6: A more promising start than 5! Ah, yes, now we're really back on track. A very mainstream, very normal, very well done account of the first movement: I don't hear anything new or intriguing or special, but I do hear a level of orchestral and conductical (?) excellence that vastly exceeds most mainstream performances.

Finale: A similar view. This feels like an 8 if the chimes are okay. Weird that there's no pause whatsoever before the episode with the big clarinet solo, which is gleefully demented. This bumps it up a notch, which is good, because the Wimp Chime deduction is in effect (-0.5). At the very end, there's a great spacial differentiation between the two sets of timpani. This could be really good. Rating: 8 of 10.

- - -

I seem to have liked Group B quite a lot. Three recordings received an 8 or higher; I only gave out two 8s in A, and no 9s. I'm very sad to be freezing out B3, because it's a really individual reading with very interesting touches that I enjoy from a connoisseurial point of view.

1. B4
2. B2
3. B6
4. B3
5. B1
6. B5

[xochitl]

hey guys sorry i missed the deadline

new job :iknow:

think i can get it done by tomorrow night if that's alright

[Wanderer]

Here goes my take on Group B. I'd love to have time for more detailed commentary, but for now my slightly edited listening notes will have to do.

B1 – mov.1: apart from a rather rushed introduction, excellent flow, string tone, urgency, winds. Sense of direction, narrative flow. Nice 5th mov., too recessed bells.

B2 – Liking this very much as well. Excellent 1st mov – by far the best in the bunch. Similarly excellent mov.5.

B3 – 1st. mov. tame, although emotionally charged. Wind contributions not so good. Feels kind of disjointed. Good climax but rushes through the idée fixe. Very good strings. Seems to get better as mov. progresses but then excerpt ends. Not liking mov.5. too rushed, brass not very good, tubas unacceptable.

B4 –  rather pedestrian 1st mov., unlike the urgent, heartfelt opening. Nice flow and string tone. Rushes to get to the climax but it handles it OK. Good idée fixe, not great. 5th mov. much more successful. Nice flowing, third bell chime not so good, tubas not good in the company of excellent brass.

B5 – mov.1 atmospheric but languorous opening, like it opens a Tchaikovsky 6th. Nice string tone. Nice idée fixe. Nice 5th mov. excellent bells, so-so tuba. I like the slightly uncoordinated bell chimes.

B6 – mov.1 opening unacceptably rushed, nice strings most of the time but rather uninteresting (and uninterested) winds. Builds nicely to the climax and the ensuing well presented idée fixe, but still, overall,  what's the rush? Things get slightly better as the movement progresses. 5 mov. much more successful, but the 1st mov. weighs this way down.

Final ranking:

1. B2
2. B1
3. B5
4. B4
5. B6
6. B3

[TheGSMoeller]

hey guys sorry i missed the deadline

new job :iknow:

think i can get it done by tomorrow night if that's alright

Absolutely. 

Very nice write-ups on Group B, Brian and Wanderer. B4 seems to have split the two of you. And the "gleefully demented" no-pause for the clarinet solo making its impression makes me happy, I've always found that to be a jarring but effective interpretation choice.

[johndoe21ro]

Very sorry for missing the deadline. I've been struggling to breathe, these weeks - too much work. I'm definitely able to participate in the 2nd round if I'm allowed to. In about a week I'm starting to have more and more free time.

[TheGSMoeller]

Very sorry for missing the deadline. I've been struggling to breathe, these weeks - too much work. I'm definitely able to participate in the 2nd round if I'm allowed to. In about a week I'm starting to have more and more free time.

You may still have time to participate on round 1, we haven't received all of the first round votes. Everyone seems to be a little busy with real life (like, whatevah). Perhaps it's the holiday season, but I would rather give everyone the time they need if it means getting more 1st round votes in. 

[Brian]

You may still have time to participate on round 1, we haven't received all of the first round votes. Everyone seems to be a little busy with real life (like, whatevah). Perhaps it's the holiday season, but I would rather give everyone the time they need if it means getting more 1st round votes in. 

You could just let me choose who advances to round 2 from every group 

[TheGSMoeller]

You could just let me choose who advances to round 2 from every group 

Do you want group C?

[Brian]

Do you want group C?

Not really Kinda I was just kidding A little dangit. Are there no hard feelings if I say "maybe"?

[TheGSMoeller]

Not really Kinda I was just kidding A little dangit. Are there no hard feelings if I say "maybe"?

There would be no hard feelings if you said Hell No!

I know Daniel has been busy, so when he gets around we can discuss a new deadline.

Time for some opium.

[xochitl]

b1
b6
b4
b5
b2
b3

b1 and b6 really impressed me.  b1 with the heavy atmosphere and sort of old-world playing plus conductor's really involving tweaks here and there.  b6 was just solid and amazingly played and recorded.  the others really turned me off

[Sergeant Rock]

Group A


1 - A1

2 - A5

3 - A4

4 - A2

5 - A6

6 - A3


Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Aaaah nooo, I was going to give an 8.5 but we have a sucky chimes alert.

That's one of the things I liked about it. A2 was the only performance in group A that made the bells sound as if coming from a distance. I don't believe the witches and demons would be partying in the churchyard  ....which is what it sounds like in the other versions.

Sarge

[Brian]

That's one of the things I liked about it. A2 was the only performance in group A that made the bells sound as if coming from a distance. I don't believe the witches and demons would be partying in the churchyard  ....which is what it sounds like in the other versions.

Sarge

B1's church bells are legitimately offstage - their third appearance was actually inaudible, but I still loved the idea.

[TheGSMoeller]

Only have 7 results in so far (only 1 vote for group C and 2 for group A). I'm willing to wait longer to receive more round 1 votes. I haven't heard from Daniel on this, and I hate to drag this out longer, but I also would prefer to get more accurate results.

No big deal as long as everyone else is alright with waiting. I'll just chalk it up to being the busy time of the year.

So far, great comments, and thank you to those who have participated. 

[Wanderer]

B1's church bells are legitimately offstage...

One of the aspects I liked, too.

[madaboutmahler]

Sorry all for my absence in the last couple of days - the last week has certainly been hectic, but absolutely incredible, with a number of concerts and shows. A massive thank you to Greg for keeping the thread running.

I agree with Greg that we do need more votes, ideally for each of the groups. I have heard from a number of members who have decided to pull out, so already we have fewer participants than first thought. While we await more votes, if you have the time and desire to do more than one group, that certainly would be great! Please do let us know.
How about this Friday for the new voting deadline?

[Sergeant Rock]

if you have the time and desire to do more than one group, that certainly would be great! Please do let us know.
How about this Friday for the new voting deadline?

Send me groups B and C. I'll try to hear both.

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

Group A and C are in need of votes.

[madaboutmahler]

Send me groups B and C. I'll try to hear both.

Sarge

Brilliant - thank you very much, Sarge!