I've always had a soft spot for the Menuhin recording, probably it was the first I really listened to, and also for the playing in the Pilgrim's Procession. Primrose recorded it twice, once with Koussevitsky and the Boston SO in 1944, and again in 1951 with Beecham and the RPO. There is also an excellent version with a violist called McInnes with the French National Orchestra and Bernstein,I have it on LP but I'm not sure if it's available on CD.
Tabeas Zimmermann and the LSO / Davis has to be the best modern performance.
Surely the approach with Berlioz is not to expect a concise structure, even the Fantastique doesn't have that, but to enjoy the journey and the great pleasures you experience on the way.For me, the pulse still quickens when I hear the opening of Le Carnaval Romain, it was the first record I ever bought, with Beecham on a scarlet label 78-very pricey!
Tabeas Zimmermann and the LSO / Davis has to be the best modern performance.
Surely the approach with Berlioz is not to expect a concise structure, even the Fantastique doesn't have that, but to enjoy the journey and the great pleasures you experience on the way.For me, the pulse still quickens when I hear the opening of Le Carnaval Romain, it was the first record I ever bought, with Beecham on a scarlet label 78-very pricey!
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