Jump to content

Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony), etc.


Peter Johnson

Recommended Posts

I know this release (Charles Munch directing the Boston Symphony, ca. 1956) has had a bit of discussion here, but please allow me to commend it to anyone who's the least bit interested in it. Let me disclaim: I've been listening to the Organ Symphony since I was very young; it is one of my father's favorite compositions, and between the two of us, we have nine separate recordings of it (including the original LP of this one) and have heard it performed at least four times. So I'm not really an "unbiased" source. But I just have to say:

This release is fucking INCREDIBLE.

I don't know that I've heard a classical CD (I don't have an SACD player, so reference point is the CD layer) that has been this clear, this simply recorded, this sonically PURE in my entire life. The sound on this is just amazing. I don't know any history of the "Living Stereo" releases, but the liner notes state discuss (interestingly) the particular challenges of recording this composition with two mics going to two monoblocks, then cut in stereo to acetate; the predominant issue was balancing the organ and the orchestra (in high and low dynamic ranges)* so neither overwhelmed the other. Well, they did it, and this is as close to "being there" as I've come when listening to a CD. The piece itself is spectacular, if you've never heard it, and while it contains some romantic/impressionist cliches, on balance, it's a feast for the ears and, in many parts, heart breakingly beautiful. In this recording, the flutes soar, the trumpets cut through the mix, you can clearly tell the piece is scored for two pianos and harp (!), and it just...well, words fail. Technical and spiritual perfection. This is one of the most extraordinary recordings I've purchased in years--I don't have a single criticism.

A bonus on this release is the inclusion of Debussy's "La Mer" and Ibert's "Escales", both of which are equally sonically fantastic; I can't speak to the technical/scoring strengths of those, as I'm not intimately familiar with them.

This cost $12.99 at Barnes & Noble; trust me, your soul will thank you for spending the best thirteen bucks you could ever hope to let leave your wallet. I know I'm coming off as a mega-fan, here, but seriously--give this a listen.

B0002TKFGI.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

* Many recordings of this piece overdub the organ later and "fix it in the mix" to avoid this problem

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know this release (Charles Munch directing the Boston Symphony, ca. 1956) has had a bit of discussion here, but please allow me to commend it to anyone who's the least bit interested in it.  Let me disclaim: I've been listening to the Organ Symphony since I was very young; it is one of my father's favorite compositions, and between the two of us, we have nine separate recordings of it (including the original LP of this one) and have heard it performed at least four times.  So I'm not really an "unbiased" source.  But I just have to say:

This release is fucking INCREDIBLE.

I don't know that I've heard a classical CD (I don't have an SACD player, so reference point is the CD layer) that has been this clear, this simply recorded, this sonically PURE in my entire life.  The sound on this is just amazing.  I don't know any history of the "Living Stereo" releases, but the liner notes state discuss (interestingly) the particular challenges of recording this composition with two mics going to two monoblocks, then cut in stereo to acetate; the predominant issue was balancing the organ and the orchestra (in high and low dynamic ranges)* so neither overwhelmed the other.  Well, they did it, and this is as close to "being there" as I've come when listening to a CD.  The piece itself is spectacular, if you've never heard it, and while it contains some romantic/impressionist cliches, on balance, it's a feast for the ears and, in many parts, heart breakingly beautiful.  In this recording, the flutes soar, the trumpets cut through the mix, you can clearly tell the piece is scored for two pianos and harp (!), and it just...well, words fail.  Technical and spiritual perfection.  This is one of the most extraordinary recordings I've purchased in years--I don't have a single criticism.

A bonus on this release is the inclusion of Debussy's "La Mer" and Ibert's "Escales", both of which are equally sonically fantastic; I can't speak to the technical/scoring strengths of those, as I'm not intimately familiar with them.

This cost $12.99 at Barnes & Noble; trust me, your soul will thank you for spending the best thirteen bucks you could ever hope to let leave your wallet.  I know I'm coming off as a mega-fan, here, but seriously--give this a listen.

B0002TKFGI.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

* Many recordings of this piece overdub the organ later and "fix it in the mix" to avoid this problem

Even cheaper HERE !!

I'm ordering one!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even cheaper HERE !!

I'm ordering one!

That's not the hybrid, FFA--although a few reviews on Amazon say there's not a lot of difference in the CD layers between the two. I can't compare; but here's a link to the hybrid.

Yes, I finally figured that out. :wacko: <<<(me all day today)

Thanks for the link Peter. That's the one I wanna get.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Peter -

This was one of my father's very favorite compositions as well. I have treasured memories of him "air-directing" this in our living room when I was young.

I have two versions of this already - the Philadelphia Orchestra directed by Eugene Ormandy (RCA), and a Berlin Philharmonic recording, with Pierre Cochereau on the organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (orchestra directed by Herbert Von Karajan, on Deutsche Grammophon). But you've piqued my curiosity enough to order this version.

PS - Lon, I've found the Munch, two Reiners, and a Rubinstein Living Stereo discs at yourmusic. What am I missing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Peter -

This was one of my father's very favorite compositions as well.  I have treasured memories of him "air-directing" this in our living room when I was young. 

I have two versions of this already - the Philadelphia Orchestra directed by Eugene Ormandy (RCA), and a Berlin Philharmonic recording, with Pierre Cochereau on the organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (orchestra directed by Herbert Von Karajan, on Deutsche Grammophon).  But you've piqued my curiosity enough to order this version.

PS - Lon, I've found the Munch, two Reiners, and a Rubinstein Living Stereo discs at yourmusic.  What am I missing?

Van Cliburn: Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1 (SACD Hybrid)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Funny to run across this thread. I was playing the Living Stereo release this morning and it never fails to amaze me. While I don't own a huge classical music collection, this surely ranks near the top of the list as my all time favs. I could be in the middle of something and when the second movement begins, I'll drop everything that I'm doing. A spectacular work and recording. So glad to own it. :tup

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...