# Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3



## confuoco

Hello, I like to get some recommendations for the best recording of the "Organ" Symphony by Saint-Saëns. I have only on recording I am unsatisfied with. Especially sound of the organ is too low.


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## Rachovsky

I bought James Levine's recording. My "Rough Guide to Classical Music" book told me too and it's a pretty good recording.


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## BuddhaBandit

Well, arguably the best performance out there is Charles Munch's recording with the BSO (on the RCA "Living Stereo" series); however, the sound isn't too good. It's also coupled with a nice performance of Debussy's "La Mer".


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## Frasier

Just a suggestion, if you want a really blistering account of this symphony especially the last movement:

http://www.amazon.com/Saint-Saens-Symphony-Francaise-Philadelphia-Orchestra/dp/B0002IQHE8

The organ is well-balanced, a brilliance of tone; superb bass and Murray is certainly competent to play the work. No need to comment about the Philadelphia Orchestra.


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## Moldyoldie

The *Munch/BSO/RCA* is probably the classic recording and sounds vivid and warm in its Living Stereo incarnation. Of similar vintage, the other classic recording to consider would be *Paray/Detroit SO/Mercury* -- also from the '50s, it's up-front, in-your face, and sounds spectacular, though the mastering displays a few minor scars. There's also *Martinon/O.R.T.F./EMI*, played wonderfully with idiomatic style and flavor, but not necessarily as a "sonic blockbuster".

After hearing the above, the *Levine/BPO/DG* seems comparatively inelegant and the early digital recording a tad shrill, but it still packs a wallop! Besides, it's paired with a winning _Sorcerer's Apprentice_. 

I understand the *Dutoit/OSM/Decca* digital recording is very well-thought of, but I've yet to hear it. However, if the organ sounds anything like that heard on the group's recording of Holst's _The Planets_, you'll be hurled against the back wall, your home's foundation will be thoroughly shaken, and the neighborhood cats will be scurrying for cover! Woofer insurance is advised.


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## Badinerie

I bought this one recently. Its not only a good performance of the 3rd but It has great accompanying tracks. Well recommended.


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## confuoco

Thanks to everyone


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## qualityaudio

Sorry to bump an old thread, especially with my first post, but this is by far my favorite piece of music yet written and I can't begin to guess how many times I've listened to it over the years. The crescendo in part two of the first movement never ceases to raise the hair on the back of my neck. I have several recordings of it in my collection. Sadly I've only been able to hear this piece live one time, and missed my chances to hear it during Walt Disney Concert Hall's organ inaugural, and my own brother playing the organ in a performance back in my home state of Michigan. 

I would say that my favorite recorded performance is Paul Paray conducting the Detroit Symphony on Mercury Living Presence. The power, vitality, and range of emotion in this interpretation is second to none, IMO. The recording quality, having been made using the 3-channel recording technique first devised by Everest Records is surprisingly excellent for 1957. 

My favorite recording is the performance by Charles Dutioit and the Montreal Symphony. I may be wrong, but I think this is the first all digital recording of the Organ Symphony and the engineers really went the extra mile to capture this excellent performance as faithfully as possible. I have never heard a more detailed and musical recording of this music.

I agree that the Charles Munch performance is excellent, but his pacing takes too much of the emotion out of it for my taste. I have yet to find a copy of the Ormandy/Fox recording but hear that it is among the most regarded.


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## SamGuss

BuddhaBandit said:


> Well, arguably the best performance out there is Charles Munch's recording with the BSO (on the RCA "Living Stereo" series); however, the sound isn't too good. It's also coupled with a nice performance of Debussy's "La Mer".


I would agree with this - it is also my favorite (at least at this time) recording of this piece.


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## Orgelbear

Another response to an old post, but, hey...

The two SS-3s I would put at the top of the list...not necessarily in this order...are (1) the Sony recording with Maazel/Pittsburgh with Anthony Newman on the Mander at St. Ignatius Loyala in NYC and (2) the Atma hybrid SACD (playable as a regular CD) with the Orchestre Métropolitan Du Grand Montréal conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin with Philippe Bélanger on the Beckerath of Montreal's St. Joseph Oratory. The Maazel is a capital-R Romantic, heart-on-sleeve bombast festival (I mean that in a good way) and sounds quite good, even if the organ part was grafted in later. The Atma disc is a more restrained example of French elegance that suggests Gounod's "French Beethoven" remark about this work might not have been satire. Technically, the disc is astounding, and the Beckerath does not sound as German as it does in the Dutoit recording.

Among older recordings, I also enjoy the Paray/Dupré on Mercury (with the Aeolian-Skinner at Detroit's poor old Ford Auditorium) and the Prêtre/Duruflé EMI recording done at St-Etienne-du-Mont.

The recent Ondine SACD of the Philadelphia Dobson's maiden voyage is sonically beautiful and captures a realistic balance between this organ and the orchestra. (I was at that concert; if the organ and orchestra were to fight a war, the organ would win.). The performance, unfortunately, is just OK.

I always thought the Munch performance was a little brusque.


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## Vaneyes

Chung (DG)


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## Ukko

The Munch/BSO recording was processed by Japanese Victor and released as an 'XDCD". It is CD Redbook playable, and is a 'must hear'. The original poster will have no difficulty hearing the organ, or any other detail of the performance. This CD was the first to reveal to me the composing genius that St. Saens put into it.

Finding the thing may be a problem.


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## drth15

*SS 3rd*

Ozawa's with the Orch National de France has been a favorite for several reasons. First, the orch & organ are recorded in real tme, not spliced. This always makes a difference in ambience. Second, the sound strikes a successful balance between spaciouness and clarity. And third, even though I have never been a great fan of Ozawa's, his 'touch' is unmistakeable here, bringing warmth & bouency to this romantic work.

There are several great recordings discussed in this forum. Try this one for a change. Should be avail very inexpensively also.


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## Baflar

Badinerie said:


> I bought this one recently. Its not only a good performance of the 3rd but It has great accompanying tracks. Well recommended.


This Barenboim/Chicago version is excellent - especially the slow second movement (or the second half of the first part, as it is regarded here), which is achingly emotional. It demonstrates the value of choosing this movement as the last music played at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.


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## SixFootScowl

Moldyoldie said:


> The *Munch/BSO/RCA* is probably the classic recording and sounds vivid and warm in its Living Stereo incarnation. Of similar vintage, the other classic recording to consider would be *Paray/Detroit SO/Mercury* -- also from the '50s, it's up-front, in-your face, and sounds spectacular, though the mastering displays a few minor scars. *There's also Martinon/O.R.T.F./EMI, played wonderfully with idiomatic style and flavor, but not necessarily as a "sonic blockbuster".*
> 
> After hearing the above, the *Levine/BPO/DG* seems comparatively inelegant and the early digital recording a tad shrill, but it still packs a wallop! Besides, it's paired with a winning _Sorcerer's Apprentice_.
> 
> I understand the *Dutoit/OSM/Decca* digital recording is very well-thought of, but I've yet to hear it. However, if the organ sounds anything like that heard on the group's recording of Holst's _The Planets_, you'll be hurled against the back wall, your home's foundation will be thoroughly shaken, and the neighborhood cats will be scurrying for cover! Woofer insurance is advised.


Hey, Martinon has a whole cycle of all five symphonies. I highly recommend the whole cycle. I recently got it and it is very good.


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## RobertKC

Excellent sound quality via a 176kHz/24bit download from HDTracks:


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## Pugg

​
This one and closely followed by; Much


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## KenOC

My go-to Organ Symphony is from this $5.99 download, a BIS recording with the great Hans Fagius on organ and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by James DePreist, who recently passed away. And for your money, you probably get as much Saint-Saens, in good recordings, as you'll ever need.


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