The Fantaisie sur la Tempete de Shakespeare was composed shortly after Berlioz had won the coveted Prix de Rome (at the fourth attempt) with his cantata Sardanapale, and was originally conceived as a concert overture, with chorus. After various reworkings of the material, the four-movement Fantaisie, as recorded here, became the finale of Berlioz's 'monodrama' Lelio- a juxtaposition of existing material interlinked with dramatic monologues recited by the 'artist' at the center of the work. Symphonie fantastique, Berlioz's best-known work by some distance, remains an evergreen in the orchestral repertoire, and beloved of audiences the world over. The idiomatic approach to orchestration, grounded in Berlioz's musical training in French provincial wind-bands, and the revolutionary approach to the prevailing conventions of musical form at the time shine through in the five-movement masterpiece, which remains one of the most vividly programmatic symphonies ever written. This recording was made after a pair of performances in September 2018 in the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, and is made in Surround Sound.

Tracklist:

Fantaisie Dramatique Sur La Tempête, H. 52: I. Prologue
Fantaisie Dramatique Sur La Tempête, H. 52: II. La Tempête
Fantaisie Dramatique Sur La Tempête, H. 52: III. L’action
Fantaisie Dramatique Sur La Tempête, H. 52: IV. Le Dénouement
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: I. Rêveries. Largo - Passions. Allegro Agitato E Appassionato Assai
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: II. Un Bal. Allegro Non Troppo
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: III. Scène Aux Champs. Adagio
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: IV. Marche Au Supplice. Allegretto Non Troppo
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, H. 48: V. Songe D'une Nuit Du Sabbat. Larghetto - Allegro

UPC: 095115523926
Label: Chandos
Release Date: 7.5.19
Format: CD

Berlioz / Toronto Mendelssohn Choir / Davis - Symphonie Fantastique (CD)