Sharing Music Memories

Berlioz: Symphonie funébrae et triomphale – VSSO/Graff ; Overtures – Philharmonic PO/Boult


Monday, March 26th, 2012

KHCD-2012-003 (MONO) – Berlioz: Les francs-juges, Overture, Op. 3; Intrata di Rob Roy MacGregor ; Béatrice et Bénédict Overture ; Le roi Lear Overture, Op. 4 – Philharmonic Promenade Orchestra of London/Sir Adrian Boult; Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale, Op. 15 (H 80) – Wiener Kammerchor/Vienna State Opera Orchestra/Ernest Graf – One doesn’t usually associated Sir Adrian Boult as a Berlioz conductor, but these performances of four Berlioz overtures soon dispel that notion. Taped originally by Nixa, licensed to Westminster, these are exciting performances, very well recorded. The rarely performed Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale was the result of  a commission by the French government to Berlioz in 1840, to write a piece in celebration of the Revolution of July 1830, to accompany the transfer of remains of fifty victims of the Revolution to the Place de la Bastille. This performance, decidedly Teutonic in approach regarding tempi and demeanor, nevertheless is a spectacular rendition in good mono sound. This transcribed Urania recording uses the second version of the score, modified by Berlioz for a separate concert held in August 1840 which utilizes strings (in a subtle manner) as well as the original large wind band scoring, with a chorus singing words written by Antoni Deschamps in the final movement.

Click here for an MP3 sample of this rare collection of music by Berlioz, available on Klassic Haus Restorations.

Cheers – Curt Timmons

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