Customer Reviews

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 "Organ"; Danse Macabre; Bacchanale; Le Déluge

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When the Philharmonic Society in London flattered Saint-Saens with the title of `The French Beethoven' and invited him to write a symphony, he warned them that it would be a terrifying one. He was drawn to discreet well-mannered orgies in his choice of musical themes, and it seems that the idea of the big organ part in the symphony originated in his collaboration with none other than the pious Bruckner when inaugurating the organ in the recently-completed Albert Hall. The work is in two main sections, each subdividing into two more, the four making up something very like the standard 4 movements of the classical symphony. The organ reserves its heavy artillery for the second part, and there is also a striking obbligato role for piano, usually thought to require two players. The organ in this recording is that in Chartres cathedral, no less, the organist is Gaston Litaize, and that recording, now digitally remastered, was done in 1976, those of the companion pieces dating from 1981 if I have understood the leaflet correctly.

This performance of the symphony strikes me as really rather good. It reflects credit on everyone concerned including the recording engineers, although I certainly feel that the pianist or pianists deserved a mention among the credits. Considering this work on its own for the moment, I might well have given 5 stars, although I happen to own another account which is just that little bit better. This account is on LP, but it is more recent (1986) than the performance under review, and the recording was in digital sound from the outset, the engineer being the redoubtable Mr Bear. The last time I searched for it I failed to find it in the current catalogues, but it is or was on Classics for Pleasure. The performers are the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under a very young-looking conductor Andrew Litton whose other work I don't seem to have encountered, and the organist is Professor Ian Tracey at the mighty organ of Liverpool's Anglican cathedral, the largest cathedral organ in the world or so I'm told. There's not a lot in it, but I think I find just a touch more freshness in both the reading and the recording on the Liverpool version. What I quite certainly find is an awesome tone from the organ itself that even the Chartres instrument doesn't equal. Well done of course Professor Tracey, but Mr Bear has surpassed himself here.

In addition there is the famous Bacchanale from Samson and Dalila, very fine and bacchanalian I thought, and by way of lowering the general level of frenzy there is the prelude to the oratorio Le Deluge. Last on the disc is the Danse Macabre, and it is really this that has stopped me from giving a fifth star. If anything in 19th century music, surely, needs a sense of diablerie about it, it's this, and I have to say I found it rather staid here. This is not a matter of the tempo - the composer specifically says that the tempo should be moderate - but of the sheer `feel' of the thing. This performance strikes me as being a little too earnest to be macabre.

The production is in general very good, and the German liner-note by Dr Michael Stegemann, translated into French and Italian, is very thoughtful and helpful, focusing on the general question of the symphony and of instrumental music generally in 19th century France. If your command of any of these languages is up to it, I recommend that you ignore the English offering, which is a truly wretched little effort. In a note accompanying the music of Saint-Saens, which I like, I wish to read about Saint-Saens and not about Liszt, whose creative work seems to me a hopeless struggle against lack of the necessary natural endowment. The influences that the writer finds from not only Liszt but also Berlioz, Mendelssohn and even Haydn are of dubious validity and total inconsequence, and goodness knows what a newcomer to Saint-Saens will make of such stuff.

I can recommend this record in good conscience, I think. The organ symphony is not particularly well known, it deserves to be, and it gets the best performance here - the smaller works, or at least two of them, are everywhere to hand in recordings that are easy to find. If that Liverpool production is ever reissued, it's the one I would recommend in preference, but for the time being this one will do perfectly well.

The ubiquitous Organ Symphony of Saint-Saens has attained something of a cult status. Its popularity has produced an ever expanding discography of recordings from the mediocre to the truly great. Barenboim lies somewhere in between.

Performance: 4/5
Most of the best of this performance is concentrated in the sonic pyrotechnics of the Finale to the Organ Symphony. In general, there is some fine and incisive playing from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, as one would expect of this fine body of musicians. The winds play with good character even if they do come across as distantly suave at times. The strings play well, though this is not this orchestra's strong suite and there can be some slightly abrasive playing. Mostly the strings are certain and assured, though. It is the brass that make a telling contribution, and mostly in the finale. This is what the orchestra is famed for; ripe, full blooded, powerful, precise and perfectly executed brass playing. Perhaps some may feel they go too far in the finale. Perhaps they become a bit vulgar. What is certain is that the impact and excitement is palpable.

The organist, Gaston Litaize, also makes a telling contribution. The organ part is also played up for exciting effect. It is a shame that the whole Symphony doesn't receive such commitment.

It should be added that the Orchestra de Paris bring a very French sense to the shorter works included here. Even here, though, competition is fierce and these are unlikely to displace personal favourites. The orchestra performs well and there is some fine solo violin work. Barenboim seems a bit distant, though.

Sound: 3.5/5
The ADD sound is really rather stale. The acoustic is also very much on the dry side. This doesn't help when one considers that the organ has been recorded in a warm and resonant acoustic before being spliced in. What this allows, though, is for the engineers to provide even bigger thrills in the Finale of the Symphony. Overall, the enterprise inevitably feels a bit unnatural.

Interpretation: 3/5
As highlighted earlier, Barenboim feels a bit distant. The first three movements are under-interpreted and feel a little uneasy. Barenboim, like many others, marks time before reaching the Finale where he is content to let the sonic feast unfold. There is no attempt to advocate this work, or the others on this disc, as a great orchestral work beyond a popular showpiece. This is unfortunate. At least the fireworks, when they come, are delivered with greater aplomb, honesty and musicality that Dutoit's recording. His benefits from a superior recorded sound and the presence of an organ in the orchestra's recording venue. His organist goes beyond flashy showmanship as well.

Overall, this is something of a misfire. Given the natural talent of Barenboim, and the presence of a great orchestra, one would have expected more. Unfortunately, this eschews mystery, terror and depth for the excitement of the finale. But then, most people are `in' this work for the finale, so perhaps that isn't too big a problem Alternatives would include Munch's classic account with the Boston Symphony or Levine with the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Years ago, I owned a recording of the Organ Symphony performed by Gaston Litaize and the Chicago Symphony under the baton of Daniel Barenboim. It, too, came out originally in 1986, was digitally recorded, and was also released by DG with a very similar jacket. I suspect that this might be the same recording. If so, it has an interesting history for several reasons. First, it was recorded in two locations. The Chicago Symphony recorded their portion in the United States and Litaize recorded his portion at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Litaize wore headphone so that he could coordinate the organ with the orchestra. A second interesting feature is that the organ had to be completely retuned to pitch correctly with an American orchestra. Third, Litaize was blind. I'm pretty sure that this is the same recording because I can't imagine Barenboim recording two versions of the same symphony for the same label in the same year.

It was a really exciting recording in its day and its MP3 version is no less so.

If I am wrong, then my apologies to the first reviewer.

The Chicago Symphony was one of the best orchestras under Solti. This prosaic reading of Saint-Saens Third Symphony is a testimony to Barenboim art. It does feel we're dealing with some university orchestra following an obscure academic conductor whose inspiration never reached further than ensuring the score is played and parents can hear their offspring play their line, but I could not have imagined that I was listening to an orchestra such as the CSO.
If there is only one copy left as advertised, leave it!

David Bryson has written such a totally satisfying review tht I hae little to add. His tentative praise, however, sounds more like a three-star review, which is all I am tempted to give. The best thing about this 1976 recording, which marks an early phase of Barenboim's partnership with the CSO, is the wealth of inner detail captured by the microphones -- nothing smeary even when the big dogs are let out -- and the orchestra's virtuosic playing.

Barenboim has left out most of his quasi-Furtwangler mannerisms, but that's not much of a positive. His besetting flaw has always been lack of natural spontaneity, and that's unfortunate in the Saint-Saens Third, which mostly marks time until the thrills of the finale. Once the thrills arrive, they aren't bad. On the other hand, DG has a blockbuster version under Karajan that makes the whole piece sound greater than it is, and his thrills are better. As for the fillers, none of them really catches fire. I suppose it's far too late to cure Barenboim of his studied, self-conscious style.