Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3/Debussy: La Mer/Ibert: Escales

Claude Debussy (Composer), Jacques Ibert (Composer), Camille Saint-Saens (Composer), Charles Münch (Conductor), Boston Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Berj Zamkochian (Performer), Bernard Zighera (Performer), Leo Litwin (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Berj Zamkochian, Bernard Zighera, Leo Litwin
• Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Charles Münch
• Composer: Claude Debussy, Jacques Ibert, Camille Saint-Saens
• Audio CD (March 9, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000003FEG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,355 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #23 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Romantic (c.1820-1910) > General
  • #37 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Romantic (c.1820-1910) > General AAS

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Recorded in 1956 (Debussy, Ibert) and 1959 (Saint-Saëns), these jewels from stereo's golden age, all Munch specialities, receive their finest transfers yet. Close use of the microphone suits Munch's La Mer, a seascape illuminated in primary colors rather than conventional pastels. Ibert's colorful Escales ("Ports of Call") gets an intense, bracing reading, and so does the Saint-Saëns. Recorded balance in the latter's third movement, though, is distorted and fuzzy during loud tuttis when the organ and orchestra kick in simultaneously. And one might desire more contrasted dynamics and articulation in the finale's fugal build-up. But don't let tiny blemishes like these deter you from buying this lovable disc. --Jed Distler

Amazon.com

This is another of Charles Munch's blazing collaborations with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the French repertory, and a fine example of how this conductor could take a warhorse and turn it back into a serious piece of music--serious but not dull. The opening Allegro is impassioned, the Adagio is intensely poetic and expressive, and the finale generates real edge-of-the-seat excitement. The "Living Stereo" remastering has restored the lifelike presence of the original recording and minimized the effects of tape saturation in the loudest passages. The glorious tone of the orchestra comes through loud and clear, along with a thrilling sense of Symphony Hall ambience. Debussy's La Mer and Ibert's Escales... make a generous coupling and are every bit as impressively performed. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the gretest Recording of the Organ Symphony Ever!!!, August 13, 2004

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3/Debussy: La Mer/Ibert: Escales (Audio CD)

During the tenure of Charles Munch, the Boston Symphony Orchestra became known for its mastery of the French repertoire. This recording contains three pieces from different French composers and demonstrates the orchestra's expertise of French classical music. The pieces are somewhat broad in scope. The major work is Saint-Sean's Symphony #3. The work is grand in scale and is in capable hands under Munch. One of the treats of this recording is the symphony's fourth movement where the magnificent organ of Boston's Symphony Hall is used. The recording goes from Saint Sean's large spectacle piece to Debussy's impressionistic work "La Mer." Munch has excellent control over the orchestra capturing the world's flowing gentle tones and powerful moments as well. The album concludes with a work that would have been contemporary at the time of the recording, Ibert's "Escales," again, palyed beautifully by the BSO under the direction of Munch.

The liner notes mention that this particular recording was revolutionary in its day. The challenge of recording the works of this collection, particularly the Saint Seans' work is daunting at best. No doubt modern recordings of these works would be more advanced than this recording, even with its digital re-mastering. However, it is safe to say that today most orchestras would not even come close to Munch's wonderful interpretations of these works, especially the Saint Seans Symphony #3 and this alone can disguise any flaws in the recording of these pieces.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sheer power combined with refinement, March 4, 2001

By 

J. Buxton "cantabile" (Waltham, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3/Debussy: La Mer/Ibert: Escales (Audio CD)

This recording was a remarkable achievement when it was released in the 1950's, and it is no less amazing today. The engineers had everything going for them: the marvelous Symphony Hall acoustics in Boston; the world's foremost conductor of French music at the time, Charles Munch; and the BSO in their glory days. The balance found between organ and orchestra is ideal and while the most obvious place to notice this is in the final movement, you can also hear the organ details extraordinarily well in the first and second movements. The whole symphony, from first to last, moves along as if it has a wonderful purpose. It is difficult for me to find any fault in this performance or recording. I'm not absolutely convinced it is the finest in the catalogue, as I really love Paray's account with the Detroit Symphony on Mercury from the same time period which can boast even more powerful organ sound and a bit more bite in final movement. However, the Detroit orchestra cannot match the BSO for beauty of sound and refinement. The Debussy and Ibert couplings are also superbly performed if not as gloriously recorded. Again, Munch's interpretations of these French gems are unbeatable.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some Gold Standards Simply Do Not Tarnish, June 10, 2006

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3/Debussy: La Mer/Ibert: Escales (Audio CD)

For many lovers of classical music one of the first cherished LPs in the library was the wonder flourished in this 1950s recording of Saint-Saens' Symphony No. 3 in C minor, forever known now as the Organ Symphony, as conducted by Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra with Berj Zamkochian as organ soloist. Now with the presence of this SACD Hybrid release the position of this recording remains unchallenged as the one to own. Munch understood the architecture of the symphony and was able to make the most of the organ parts as woven through the orchestral fabric, allowing the mighty climax to have a reason for happening. It is a towering performance of a work that is used more often than any other to unveil new organs in new orchestral halls.

But Munch and his then own Boston Symphony were the top interpreters of the French repertoire and gratefully on this CD we also have the Debussy 'La Mer' and the lighter but effective 'Escales (Ports of Call) by Jacques Ibert. The performances exude the impressionistic perfume Munch knew so well and while there may be weightier and mightier recordings of 'La Mer' available today, Munch's approach is still a valid one. But the reason for adding this CD to your library remains the inimitable Saint-Saens. It is spectacular! Grady Harp, June 06