Berlioz overtures - recordings compared

[rauschwerk]

I have a small library of Berlioz overtures and thought it might be worth comparing versions. Maybe someone else will be able to tell me that even finer recordings exist than the ones I have - I'd be interested.

Roman Carnival

I guess that, for many, LSO/Davis and Boston SO/Munch are the benchmarks here. I'll put my cards on the table and confess that neither of Davis's overture recordings has gripped me and I don't possess either. Sometime I think that he found it difficult to produce the kind of fiery results in the studio that he could in the concert hall.

Munch with the BSO is very fast - faster than the metronome and very exciting. However, the 1957 sound (I presume this was a Living Stereo issue) now sounds rather dated. Beecham's 1954 version with the RPO (his last) seems leisurely at first, but works towards a coda in which we can hear how Beecham used to bring audiences to their feet with this piece, which he performed 100 times or so.

Previn's 1976 collection (LSO) has perhaps been undervalued. He didn't include Waverley, Rob Roy or King Lear (no great loss as far as I'm concerned) and a reasonably well filled LP became a short measure CD. However, his Roman Carnival is quite as fast, exciting and precise as BSO/Munch and of course he gets a much more modern recording.

Andrew Davis with the Bergen Philharmonic might not seem an obvious choice but it's a well played and well recorded account in up to date sound.

My choices from these four recordings are Previn (modern) and Beecham (historical). I'd be very interested to hear of any period instrument versions.

[pastoralguy]

I've always loved the SNO under Gibson on Chandos. I'm sure I've related before that each Overture was sight read with the red light on in time left over from recording their Sibelius cycle. It was awarded a Grand Prix du Disc!!

[rauschwerk]

I've always loved the SNO under Gibson on Chandos. I'm sure I've related before that each Overture was sight read with the red light on in time left over from recording their Sibelius cycle. It was awarded a Grand Prix du Disc!!

Which of those do you particularly recommend?

[pastoralguy]

Which of those do you particularly recommend?

I've always loved The Corsair Overture which is fabulous. Mind you, I love 'Francs-Juges' after the opening which seems to take forever to get through!

To play, Roman Carnival, which has a great bit for the open e' strings of the fiddles. My stand partner and I used to do 'high fives', in rehearsals, much to the annoyance of various conductors!

[rauschwerk]

To play, Roman Carnival, which has a great bit for the open e' strings of the fiddles. My stand partner and I used to do 'high fives', in rehearsals, much to the annoyance of various conductors!

I see that the composer considerately provides nearly three bars' rest for the purpose.

[jayne lee wilson]

Utterly startling, terrifically remastered 1956 Nixa-Westminster stereo recordings of all 8 Overtures, from LPO and Boult -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00483CVT8/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You get a radically swift, dynamic and ultra-detailed Schumann cycle along-with....
Lovely presentation fold-out, excellently detailed interpretative notes about these particular recordings.....

...DO.NOT.MISS.....

[cloughie]

It would be good to see a reasonably priced reissue of the Boult sometime this year.

[jayne lee wilson]

It would be good to see a reasonably priced reissue of the Boult sometime this year.

Download or stream, sir...?

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/london-philharmonic-orchestra-the-1956-nixa-westminster-stereo-recordings-vol-2-adrian-boult/5060216340036

Or order direct.... (and view the notes for free...)

https://firsthandrecords.com/products-page/album/lpo-sir-adrian-boult-the-1956-nixa-westminster-stereo-recordings-3-cds-vol-2/

[Alain Maréchal]

My own favourite is Les francs-juges in Beecham's recording, which I only have on a Philips LP, and which tests the bass frequencies of my equipment. I'm not convinced any other conductor emphasises so well the sheer menace of the Gran Tamburo interjections. I also prefer his more sedate tempi.

I agree about the merits of the Boult recordings.

[cloughie]

Download or stream, sir...?

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/london-philharmonic-orchestra-the-1956-nixa-westminster-stereo-recordings-vol-2-adrian-boult/5060216340036

Or order direct.... (and view the notes for free...)
https://firsthandrecords.com/product...s-3-cds-vol-2/

Looks very good cf Amazon inflated prices!

[BBMmk2]

Sir Andre Previn(Warner), Sir Andrew Davis(Chandos), Sir Colin Davis(RCA Victor), Charles Dutoit(Decca), and Sir Alexander Gibson.

[rauschwerk]

Le Corsaire

I really only want to listen to performances which violate the composer's intentions in one crucial place. A few bars before the recapitulation, the music sounds as though it's winding down. The entry of cellos and bassoons, mf then crescendo, energises the music. Beecham, however, plays this forte, with a big accent on the first note (one reviewer likened this to 'dogs attacking a rat'). Ever since I heard this, it's the way I want the music to go, and however many times I hear it, I'm on tenterhooks waiting for it.

Berlioz's metronome mark for the Allegro looks very scary to me, and I wonder if any orchestra could play it that fast with tidy rushing quavers and syncopations. The fastest performances take around eight minutes, and I'm not really interested in anything much slower. Like Beecham, Munch is very fast and he speeds up in the coda once the quavers are out of the way. Beecham's control of pace is more subtle and one is hardly aware of it - just the excitement.

Andrew Davis seems to have taken several leaves out of Beecham's book, not least his overall timing and the cellos + bassoons entry. His orchestra are well up to the task and the recording is excellent. Previn takes half a minute longer than the others, and for me the effect is a bit too laid back. So I choose Andrew Davis (modern) and Beecham (historical).

[rauschwerk]

Sir Andre Previn(Warner), Sir Andrew Davis(Chandos), Sir Colin Davis(RCA Victor), Charles Dutoit(Decca), and Sir Alexander Gibson.

Yes, but what I'm looking for are the finest recordings of individual overtures.

[BBMmk2]

Yes, but what I'm looking for are the finest recordings of individual overtures.

Oh dear. That’s a difficult one. I’ll have to have a good listen later!

[Mal]

Le Corsaire Andrew Davis... . His orchestra are well up to the task and the recording is excellent... So I choose Andrew Davis (modern)...

Just listening to this on Amazon Unlimited and, even compressed, the sound is really excellent. I donated Munch to the charity shop, mainly for reasons of bad sound. Do you think Andrew Davis' take on the other overtures stands up to the competition? Certainly Le Carnaval and Waverley sound tremendous to me! The SACD is 25% off at Chandos online at the moment (it also plays as a normal CD.) I just broke my no more purchases until next week rule :)