# Favorite Symphonie fantastique



## erho

Hello, new here and just started with classical music.

What is the best Symphony fantastique that I can get, interpretation and soundwise?

Cheers eh


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## Headphone Hermit

Hi Erho

you will find the responses will largely be split between the North American recommendations (Charles Dutoit with Montreal on Decca or Monteaux with the Vienna Phil on RCA) and the European recommendations (Colin Davis with ConcertgebouwOrchestra on Philips or Colin Davis with LSO on LSO live and John Eliot Gardiner with Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romatique on Philips - the latter is my choice if you want a HiP version)

I'd go for Davis myself but I know others will disagree - scroll down the page to 'similar threads' and look at the 'Recordings of Symphonie fantastique' thread by Aramis


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## erho

Thanks, sorry but what means HiP version?


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## shadowdancer

erho said:


> Thanks, sorry but what means HiP version?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historically_informed_performance


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## realdealblues

I have about 20 recordings of Symphonie Fantastique.

My favorite recording is from Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Charles Munch recorded Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique twice with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, once in 1954 and again in 1962. The later 1962 recording is my personal favorite. You can usually find it used for around $2-$5 because it's out of print.

The cover looks like this:








The earlier recording is from the "Living Stereo" series and is also extremely popular and can easily be purchased new in a store if you're looking for something you can easily find instead of something second hand that would be another great option.








It's a hybrid SACD so it will play on regular CD players as well as normal CD players and usually runs about $10.

My other favorite recording is from Leonard Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein also recorded the work twice with the New York Philharmonic, once in 1963 and again in 1968. Again I prefer the later 1968 recording. It can also be found usually very cheaply because again it's out of print but will usually only run you about $2-$5.

The cover for the 1968 version looks like this:








If pressed for a third option I would choose Paul Paray and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. It's usually like $8 new and can be easily found.


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## joen_cph

Realdealblues´ choices would be those that came to my mind too ...


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## bigshot

Two Fantastique threads and a Pathetique one at the top of the forum today. Someone should start a thread "What's your favorite piece that ends in ...tique?"


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## realdealblues

bigshot said:


> Two Fantastique threads and a Pathetique one at the top of the forum today. Someone should start a thread "What's your favorite piece that ends in ...tique?"


Now that you've said it, it's sure to happen.


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## jegreenwood

realdealblues said:


> I have about 20 recordings of Symphonie Fantastique.
> 
> My favorite recording is from Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
> 
> Charles Munch recorded Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique twice with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, once in 1954 and again in 1962. The later 1962 recording is my personal favorite. You can usually find it used for around $2-$5 because it's out of print.
> 
> The cover looks like this:
> View attachment 90198
> 
> 
> The earlier recording is from the "Living Stereo" series and is also extremely popular and can easily be purchased new in a store if you're looking for something you can easily find instead of something second hand that would be another great option.
> View attachment 90201
> 
> 
> It's a hybrid SACD so it will play on regular CD players as well as normal CD players and usually runs about $10.
> 
> My other favorite recording is from Leonard Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein also recorded the work twice with the New York Philharmonic, once in 1963 and again in 1968. Again I prefer the later 1968 recording. It can also be found usually very cheaply because again it's out of print but will usually only run you about $2-$5.
> 
> The cover for the 1968 version looks like this:
> View attachment 90199
> 
> 
> If pressed for a third option I would choose Paul Paray and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. It's usually like $8 new and can be easily found.
> 
> View attachment 90200


This was a work whose appeal evaded me until I heard Paray. I have several other recordings including the Munch SACD, but they didn't take.


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## Pugg

I am gong with realdealblues but I do add Riccardo Muti to the list.


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## Brahmsian Colors

Preferred version is Munch/Boston Symphony. Also like Colin Davis' Amsterdam Concertgebouw reading (not his later recording with the London Symphony).


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## Heck148

Some really fine ones -

Either Solti/CSO '72, or '92 [live/Salzburg Festival] - really excellent, the orchesttra really has this one down....
Abbado/CSO is really good too - all in fine sound - 
an older one that is especially good -

Mitropoulos/NYPO from '56. Mitropoiulos brings out an hysterical, creepy quality to the music which is most appropriate - the orchestra sounds great - the NYPO wild men of the 50s in fine form.

I've never cared for any of the Munch versions - too sloppy, March is too fast, rhythmic breakdowns...probably exciting in live performance, but on recording, the errors become rapidly annoying...


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## hpowders

I would go with Charles Munch conducting the Boston Symphony. A great specialty and still sounds magnificent!


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## Bettina

Lots of great suggestions here. I'd also like to add that I enjoy Liszt's piano transcription of Symphonie Fantastique. 

The recording I have is with pianist Todd Crow (Musicians Showcase recordings). This recording also has a piece composed by Liszt, "L'Idee Fixe," which is a kind of variation on Berlioz's main theme.


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## arkadinho

You know just like many of you I too prefer Munch 1962 version to other performances of this magnificent work but I also prefer his live April 17 recording to his more famous studio one. There is a sense of breathlessness there that I find lacking in his 1962 studio version or in any other version for that matter.


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## joen_cph

Since back then, I've now bought the Bernstein/Orchestre de Paris/emi, and it is my favourite, somehow making the work click for me more than previously.

EDIT: as kindly mentioned in a later post, it's the Orchestre National de France.


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## Rach Man

If you want to try a recent version, I like Janowski.
The sound is spectacular, too.


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## Clloydster

I'm relatively new to classical, and have fairly conventional tastes - I'll confess I don't know this symphony, but being a general fan of symphonies, I'll have to give this one a listen (it falls in the general period of music I tend to prefer).


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## Josquin13

joen_cph said:


> Since back then, I've now bought the Bernstein/Orchestre de Paris/emi, and it is my favourite, somehow making the work click for me more than previously.


I agree about Bernstein's EMI recording from 1977 (but it was the "Orchestre National de France" or "ORTF", & not the "Orchestre de Paris"--I get them confused, as well). The recording rarely gets mentioned, but it's one of the best I've heard, too. By the way, Bernstein also recorded my favorite Berlioz "Harold in Italy" with violist Donald McInnes & the same orchestra, again for EMI. It's another stand out performance:

https://www.amazon.com/Berlioz-Symp...watch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1619542358&sr=1-16
Bernstein Live: 



Harold in Italy on EMI: 




Otherwise, Sir Colin Davis is my go-to conductor for Berlioz, & I agree with others, that his earlier Philips recordings tend to be better than his later LSO live series. As for the Symphonie Fantastique, Davis recorded two highly regarded versions for Philips: the first was with the London Symphony Orchestra, and the second with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. I'd probably opt the latter, but they're both excellent:

https://www.amazon.com/Berlioz-Symp...ra+of+amsterdam&qid=1619542930&s=music&sr=1-2
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015REYOA/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017MU60E/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

I also agree that Claudio Abbado was excellent in Berlioz, as well, along with Charles Dutoit in Montreal.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071XPZ97X/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp
https://www.amazon.com/Berlioz-Symp...berlioz+chicago&qid=1619543108&s=music&sr=1-6

https://www.amazon.com/Berlioz-Symp...=berlioz+dutoit&qid=1619543211&s=music&sr=1-4

Lastly, I have a soft spot for my hometown orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, in the Symphonie Fantastique, & notably the recording by Riccardo Muti: 




For those looking for Symphonie Fantastique recordings of an older vintage, Sir Thomas Beecham & Charles Munch are both highly regarded in this music.


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## fbjim

I think Karajan's recording has my favorite first three movements, especially the waltz. The second Munch is the best regarded, I think - it hasn't been reissued on its own but it's the second Fantastique on the track list for the RCA Munch/Berlioz box set which is available on streaming.


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