Customer Reviews

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

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4 star:		(1)
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This is the definitive recording of Berlioz's famed Symphonie Fantastic. Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra brilliantly in his incisive reading of the work. Several aspects make this recording rise above the hundreds of other recordings of the work. First of all, MTT has the orchestral forces playing both with total conviction and total control. The sense of emotion is electrifying, yet, the orchestra remains in perfect control from piano to forte. The balance between the different sections of the orchestra is also perfect. Secondly, MTT's reading of the work is well thought out, logical, and quite convincing. Rather than over-conduct, MTT allows the music itself to unfold naturally. The performance is never forced, never rushed; rather, the work is allowed to develop. Thirdly, the quality of the recording is top-notch. The crystal clear digital sounds makes this already electrifying recording a must have.
MTT is not given the due credit he deserves. Too often, the SFSO is over-looked. But over the past decade MTT has been doing wonderful things with his orchestra. What we have now is a world-class orchestra that still plays with total conviction, heart, dedication, and total faith in its music director. MTT's current Mahler project with the orchestra has brought the conductor back into the spotlight, but the truth of the matter is, MTT was and is one of the leading conductors of today. I suggest listeners turn to some of his other recordings. His Romeo and Juliet and Mahler 7th (both on RCA) are fantastic, as are the resent Mahler recordings on the symphony's own label

Thomas has done it again with a mighty fine recording of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. There's very little to say other than you have to hear it. It shares the top of the heap with Bernstein's most 'psychadelic' version and Munch's very fine most natural sounding (considering most of the players in Boston at the time were of the French school) version all with better sonics. This is first class playing from San Francisco in every movement and a very demonic (and excellently played) E-flat clarinet solo from Luis Baez in Dream of a Witches' Sabbath. Great sonics, great playing, and a very fair price, this adds up to a must own. Get it!

This is my first purchase of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique", and I have to say it really exceeded my expectations while listening to it. I can tell that Tilson Thomas never rushes the piece, nor does he relax it too much. His structural understanding for the entire symphony is apparent while I'm listening to it. Now, just because he has a structural concern for Berlioz doesn't mean that it's bland. Indeed, the SF Symphony gives it a lush sound (the brass perform in a very bold manner). And they can surely whip up a storm in the fourth movement (my favorite at the moment). Audio quality is also a plus, no "crunchy" bass noises whatsoever. In conclusion, I'd say that this recording of "Fantastique" is a great one for beginners and veterans alike. Highly recommended.

Now I'm off to buy the Muti and Plasson recordings, thank you very much!

Alright so I was wrong about MTT: I assumed his disposition towards making music sound "hippie" would never work. But here is obviously does. As the reviewer above acknowledges, this disc is helped greatly by the excellent sound. But still: it is vigorous, well performed, and worth an all-round applause. It is also a very mainstream performance that you could get for your friends who are not-so-inclined towards classical music. It may not be as academic as Gardiner (excellent though that performance is), but it certainly is more exciting.
And "hippie".

I've heard many recordings of this work and this one is by far the best. Great control of his orchestra by MTT. Great playing and unison by the SFS. The engineering is superb and every nuance can be heard. The "March to the Scaffold" movement especially impressed me. If you're looking for a great "Symphonie Fantastique" look no further.

The Gramophone gave an outright pan to this performance, ending with this comment: "One is tempted to wonder why, if Tilson Thomas can lay out the score so clearly and accurately, he does not then go ahead and perform it." This is a bracing alternative to the rave that this CD has gotten on Amazon from David Hurwitz and several reviewers below. MTT's Fantastique is very detailed nd recorded quite beautifully, but he remains very literal throughout. There's no reverie in the first movement, no lilt in the waltz of the second movement, a dead tempo in the third movement, noterror in the ride to the scaffold, and so on.

There are superb readings of the Symphonie fantastique from, among ohters, Colin Davis, Leonard Bernstein, Charles Munch, Igor Markevitch (all with two each, except for Bernstein, with three), Pierre Monteux, Leopold Stokowski--I'll stop there. Tilson Thomas's version is better than any of them so far as pure sound goes--except perhaps for Munch's famous 1954 Living Stereo version--but there's not enough imagination compared to the greats.

The attraction for Berlioz collectors will be the rarely recorded sequel to the symphony, Lelio, a "return to life" by the poet who fell into a dream-trance and experienced the haunted visions of the symphony. Here, MTT and the San Francisco Sym. Chorus are bolder and more colorful than in the main event, although I'm not sure many buyers would purchase this recording just for the filler.