Notes and Editorial Reviews
French National Radio & Television Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham. Angel CDC 47863 [with Overture Le Corsaire; “Royal Hunt and Storm” from Les Troyens] Reissued on Warner Classics 85182.
Sir Thomas Beecham got inside French music like no Frenchmen of his day, with the possible exception of Pierre Monteux and Paul Paray. His performance of the Fantastique with the ORTF is a splendid one, full of nuance, rhythmic interest, and color, and truly magical in its evocative power. The only drawback is the recording, which sounds thin in places (especially the violins) and presents a fairly narrow image of the stage. The disc is well filled, with a stirring performance of the “Royal Hunt and Storm” and a Corsair Overture that sounds
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like it was recorded yesterday; the latter is an absolute triumph, wonderfully played by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Recording dates are not given, but the symphony was recorded in 1956, the overture in 1961. – Ted Libbey, author of
The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 by Hector Berlioz
Conductor:
Sir Thomas Beecham
Orchestra/Ensemble:
ORTF National Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830; France
2.
Le corsaire Overture, Op. 21 by Hector Berlioz
Conductor:
Sir Thomas Beecham
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1844; France
3.
Les troyens: Trojan March by Hector Berlioz
Conductor:
Sir Thomas Beecham
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1856-1858; France
4.
Les troyens: Royal hunt and storm by Hector Berlioz
Conductor:
Sir Thomas Beecham
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
Beecham Choral Society
Period: Romantic
Written: 1856-1858; France
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