Hector Berlioz

[knight66]

Thank you Karl.

[Brahmsian]

It's been awhile, Hector. 

Listening to this marvelous 2-fer.

[asin]B0000261DK[/asin]

[Dancing Divertimentian]

It's been awhile, Hector. 

Listening to this marvelous 2-fer.

[asin]B0000261DK[/asin]

Hector and Dutoit make a heck of a team!

[Brahmsian]

Hector and Dutoit make a heck of a team!

Indeed!  In fact, spinning the duo disc again. 

[Karl Henning]

Just a note that I remain an avid Berlioz fan!  Rock on!

[North Star]

Just a note that I remain an avid Berlioz fan!  Rock on!

+1
Time to play Herreweghe's L'enfance du Christ again soon, I suppose.

[Brahmsian]

Just a note that I remain an avid Berlioz fan!  Rock on!

Party on with Hector, Karl!

[Brahmsian]

My favourite Maazel recording.  RIP, Maestro.

Berlioz

Requiem (Grande Messe des Morts)

Maazel
The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus

Kenneth Riegel, tenor

[asin]B000024238[/asin]

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Though I'd had several, not many, opportunities, over the years to hear Hermann Scherchen's Berlioz Requiem from '58 I heeded the commonly given advice to eschew it. ("Too drawn-out, horrible acoustic, etc. etc.) Saturday I chanced on a very good 2-record set on Westminster of the work and warily took it home.  It defied expectations.  Not only is the singing exceptional, but it is one of the most moving performances of the work that I have heard.  Not my favorite, mind - yes, it's drawn-out, one critic says "bar-distending," but he manages to make it work.  Lamenting is often of long duration...  The acoustic is not great for the vocals but it's more than acceptable and guess what - the drums pop like I've never heard (some of that is Scherchen - known for his tympani).   Altogether, it's a contender and not the bête noire it's been made out to be, in my estimation. If, like me, you've been avoiding it, don't do as I've foolishly done.  I don't see it currently avail. on Amazon in CD, but is avail for download.

[Mirror Image]

I'll go ahead and add in my little two cents about Berlioz: I LOVE this composer and have since I started listening to classical music seriously. In fact, Berlioz's music was some of the very first I bought. I remember receiving Colin Davis' Complete Orchestral Works Philips set and being absolutely floored by the music. Of course, I bought more recordings along the way but nothing matched the subtlety and overwhelming beauty of Davis' interpretations, but, over time, I began to appreciate many different approaches like Munch, Gardiner, Boulez, Dutoit, Chung, Minkowski, among others. It seems I've come full circle again with Berlioz's music as I've reignited my passion for his music with the following purchases:

[Moonfish]

After reading all the posts in this thread I realize that I have much listening to do in the Berlioz realm. In addition, I also noticed that Dutoit's recordings were barely mentioned here (apart from this page by DD and Chambernut). I understand that Colin Davis is the Berlioz champion and comes with almost everybody's recommendation. How do Dutiot's recordings fare in comparison?

[asin] B00DD0AFFY[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

After reading all the posts in this thread I realize that I have much listening to do in the Berlioz realm. In addition, I also noticed that Dutoit's recordings were barely mentioned here (apart from this page by DD and Chambernut). I understand that Colin Davis is the Berlioz champion and comes with almost everybody's recommendation. How do Dutiot's recordings fare in comparison?

[asin] B00DD0AFFY[/asin]

I honestly haven't given the Dutoit performances much of a listen. I think the only recordings I own of Dutoit's Berlioz is a two-disc set. I can't imagine him being that good in Berlioz for the reason that this music requires much more than simply getting all the notes right. There's a subtlety and complex emotional fabric underneath the music that not many conductors realize. It seems that Colin Davis really understood this aspect of the music and downplays the more bombastic elements to give us a more coloristic palette and, as a result of this approach, a multifaceted listening experience.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I honestly haven't given the Dutoit performances much of a listen. I think the only recordings I own of Dutoit's Berlioz is a two-disc set. I can't imagine him being that good in Berlioz for the reason that this music requires much more than simply getting all the notes right. There's a subtlety and complex emotional fabric underneath the music that not many conductors realize. It seems that Colin Davis really understood this aspect of the music and downplays the more bombastic elements to give us a more coloristic palette and, as a result of this approach, a multifaceted listening experience.

You're 50% right and 50% wrong. The Davis part is right on, the Dutoit part isn't.

Dutoit scores very highly in the Berloz sweepstakes. He's my fave after Davis.

[Mirror Image]

You're 50% right and 50% wrong. The Davis part is right on, the Dutoit part isn't.

Dutoit scores very highly in the Berloz sweepstakes. He's my fave after Davis.

I wish I could agree with you, DD, but I'm not a fan of Dutoit in general, so obviously it just comes down to preference here. I think he's fine in Ravel and Debussy, but I haven't really thought much of his performances of other composers.

[Brian]

I wish I could agree with you, DD, but I'm not a fan of Dutoit in general, so obviously it just comes down to preference here. I think he's fine in Ravel and Debussy, but I haven't really thought much of his performances of other composers.

Dutoit's Symphonie fantastique is one of the best live performances I have ever attended, in Houston, TX around 2010ish? The first half was Prokofiev's Third Concerto with a certain Argentinean ex-wife of his.

It was an electrifying, flawless performance*, and it was recorded for a CD release which sadly never happened. I am told, however, that his conception of the Symphonie has changed a lot in the several decades between the Decca recording and the concert I attended.

*EDIT: Well, both of them were.

[Mirror Image]

Dutoit's Symphonie fantastique is one of the best live performances I have ever attended, in Houston, TX around 2010ish? The first half was Prokofiev's Third Concerto with a certain Argentinean ex-wife of his.

It was an electrifying, flawless performance*, and it was recorded for a CD release which sadly never happened. I am told, however, that his conception of the Symphonie has changed a lot in the several decades between the Decca recording and the concert I attended.

*EDIT: Well, both of them were.

Very nice, Brian. It seems Dutoit has fallen off the map. Does anyone know what he's been up to?

Speaking of Dutoit, wasn't he involved in some sort of scandal with the MSO in the early '00s?

[cilgwyn]

I think Dutoit's recordings are alright;but I can't think of one that's really 'grabbed me'! When I was stocking up on Berlioz a few months ago I read loads and loads of reviews and articles of and Berlioz recordings. Dutoit never seemed to be rated very highly,or even mentioned that often (if at all!). In terms of my wallet,a bit of a disappointment! Allot of Dutoit's recordings were cheaper! I did buy his 'Harold in Italy',though. Having said that,it didn't get played much........eventually ending up in a charity shop!

[Brian]

Speaking of Dutoit, wasn't he involved in some sort of scandal with the MSO in the early '00s?

Wikipedia has you covered. However, they only present Dutoit's side of the story; for a more complete picture, try this NYT article.

EDIT: After reading the full NYT article, the Dutoit Wiki page seems mildly pro-Dutoit, and the OSM's own Wiki page is so wildly, irresponsibly biased in favor of Dutoit that I may need to edit it.

[Linus]

I am, too, just about to become a huge fan of this fellow, Berlioz. Like most people in this thread (it seems) I'm gobsmacked by a lot of the music of L'enfance du Christ, Symphonie fantastique, Les nuits d'été and Roméo et Juliette.

It's at times like this, however, that I can't help but wonder whether I'm so flabbergasted by Berlioz because I didn't expect very much. To my mind, Berlioz seemed like a composer I could easily skip and perhaps listen through quickly later in life just to have it done with. And *BAM!* -- now I'm obsessed with this music, perhaps from downright shock. What if I'd had the same prejudice concerning Mozart or Beethoven before listening to them?

I'm probably overthinking things though. Berlioz rocks.

[Karl Henning]

I am, too, just about to become a huge fan of this fellow, Berlioz. Like most people in this thread (it seems) I'm gobsmacked by a lot of the music of L'enfance du Christ, Symphonie fantastique, Les nuits d'été and Roméo et Juliette.

It's at times like this, however, that I can't help but wonder whether I'm so flabbergasted by Berlioz because I didn't expect very much. To my mind, Berlioz seemed like a composer I could easily skip and perhaps listen through quickly later in life just to have it done with. And *BAM!* -- now I'm obsessed with this music, perhaps from downright shock. What if I'd had the same prejudice concerning Mozart or Beethoven before listening to them?

I'm probably overthinking things though. Berlioz rocks.

Aye, that he does.