Bernstein Century - Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, etc.

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Track 6 features Bernstein's narrated tour through this eccentric, groundbreaking symphonic masterpiece. Sadly, the conductor's pithy analogy between Berlioz's musical depiction of opium-inspired visions and the dangers of a contemporary trip ("brilliance without glory") remains as timely now as it was in 1968. Brilliance and glory, however, characterize the conductor's 1963 recording, reissued here for the first time on CD. The orchestral execution is not as fluid or well-oiled as it would be for Bernstein's 1968 remake, but slightly closer micing reveals a wealth of color, nuance, and dynamic differentiation absent from the original LP. Passages leap from your speakers with sparkling clarity. The conductor illuminates the composer's innovative orchestral combinations with a kind of urgency that lapses into bombast only in the frenzied final measures. And why not? An absorbing, excellently remastered release. --Jed Distler

Tracks:

Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): I. Reveries - Passions
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): II. Un bal
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): III. Scene aux champs
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): IV. Marche au supplice
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): V. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat
'Berlioz Takes A Trip': Leonard Bernstein Explores The Symphonie Fantastique With Musical Illustrations By The New York Philharmonic

Amazon.com

Track 6 features Bernstein's narrated tour through this eccentric, groundbreaking symphonic masterpiece. Sadly, the conductor's pithy analogy between Berlioz's musical depiction of opium-inspired visions and the dangers of a contemporary trip ("brilliance without glory") remains as timely now as it was in 1968. Brilliance and glory, however, characterize the conductor's 1963 recording, reissued here for the first time on CD. The orchestral execution is not as fluid or well-oiled as it would be for Bernstein's 1968 remake, but slightly closer micing reveals a wealth of color, nuance, and dynamic differentiation absent from the original LP. Passages leap from your speakers with sparkling clarity. The conductor illuminates the composer's innovative orchestral combinations with a kind of urgency that lapses into bombast only in the frenzied final measures. And why not? An absorbing, excellently remastered release. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-07-13

Bernstein does a great job expressing the emotion and passion of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. I enjoyed his narration of the program during the last track. This version is definitely a must for anyone's collection.

speedy and great service.......2007-01-19

I received my purchase alot faster than I expected considering the holiday time of year. Thanks

Fantastic "Symphonie Fantastique"........2005-03-05

Long before the days of psychedelic rock and the prog-rock concept album, there was "Symphonie Fantastique" composed in 1830 by the great Hector Berlioz.
Even after its inception 175 years ago, the "Symphonie Fantastique" is regarded as a milestone not just in classical music but in all areas of music. Considering the time period in which it was created, the music, ideas and concept were way ahead anything else that was being done (except for maybe Beethoven who had died only three years before Berlioz completed this work).
The concept behind "Symphonie Fantastique" is an extraordinary one. A young musician falls in love with a beautiful woman but can't have her. So he poisons himself with opium in hopes of killing his pain (and himself). Instead of dying, the musician falls into a hallucinegenic sleep in which he has surrealistic dreams - all of which involve the woman in question. The beloved one is represented by a simple yet haunting theme which is heard in numerous variations throughout the work's five movements. Although, the symphony does not have any words, it isn't difficult to picture the scenery in which each movement takes place and it's also not difficult to sense the intrusion when the beloved's theme occurs each time throughout the work. The first movement sets the pace for the entire work with a majestic Beethoven-like theme along with the aforementioned theme of the beloved. The second movement depicts a giant ballroom with a danceable Strauss-like waltz interupted by the same theme. The third movement takes place in an outdoor countryside and is an overall pleasant piece. The beloved's theme here sounds like a rude intrusion in contrast to the calmness. The fourth movement, "March to the Scaffold", is a dynamic tour-de-force in which the troubled musician imagines he is being executed for killing his beloved. Finally, the last movement, "Dream of the Witches Sabbath", is a hellish nightmare in which the musician imagines he's dead in hell surrounded by witches, demons and evil spirits (this was before heavy metal). The chilling haunting quality of the music is perfectly executed. Its use of violins bowing the strings with the opposite end of the bow is especially affective in creating the bone-rattling goulish sounds heard towards the end of the movement.
Indeed, as mentioned above, Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique" was way ahead of its time when it was created. In a strange way, it does include elements of psychedelic music (the hallucinegenic theme of the work), prog (the fact that the five movements do indeed form a cohesive whole) and metal (the musical depiction of demonic things). And this was way back in the early 19th century.
On this disc, Leonard Bernstein not only does a flawless job at presenting this work, he also gives an excellent illustration of it in his discussion "Berlioz Takes A Trip" which is heard on Track 6 of this CD. Here, Bernstein dissects the piece musically and conceptually, allowing the listener to take a peek into Berlioz's obsessive mad genius. The remastered sound quality is also amazing giving the entire work a fresh clarity.
So there you have it, the first fruits of Psychedelic Prog-Metal all rolled into one musical work created 175 years ago by a brilliant composer by the name of Hector Berlioz.
Definitely a Symphonie Fantastique.

Awesome!.......2004-01-12

This is definitely highly recommended! His lecture on this "first psychedelic symphony" ever written was sure helpful. And the performance --- Berstein did show lots of passion and clarity to make it into a nearly flawless performance. The final two movement was especially giving me the chill it's hellishly excellent.

Those taking music appreciation, this is a MUST BUY! Enjoy your trip... without being drugged of course.

Berlioz Takes A Trip.......2003-10-29

This wonderful recording of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique" and the companion recording, "Berlioz Takes A Trip," were the products of one of Leonard Bernstein's most memorable CBS telecasts. He made it clear that, long before modern hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, Berlioz had envisioned a young man who was obsessed with a beautiful but elusive woman that he took opium and had a series of vision, all involving her. Berlioz represents the woman with a recurring theme, literally a "fixed idea," much as Wagner did with his leitmotifs in his musical dramas, particularly the "Ring Cycle." Berlioz's personal motivation for composing the symphony was his love for an English Shakespearean actress, Henrietta Smithson, whom Berlioz saw perform in Paris. He actually pursued her and they eventually married, but the marriage was failure because they were both very intense, egocentric individuals. They also had a language barrier and were unable to overcome it.

The March 5, 1968, performance in Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fischer Hall) of the amazing 1830 composition (completed only three years after the death of Beethoven) has remained a milestone. Seldom did Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic succeed in giving such a definite, exciting performance. The orchestra plays with great precision and intensity throughout the five-movement work, capturing all the nuances and passion of this incredible piece.

Originally, Columbia issued the LP verison of this recording with a small disc that included Berlioz's lecture, which had been adapted from his "Young People's Concert" on CBS. This is clearly Bernstein at his best, both as lecturer and as conductor.

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