Search - Hector Berlioz, Leonard Bernstein, Jennie Tourel :: Berlioz: Harold in Italy Op16; Mort de Cléopâtre, scène lyrique

Berlioz: Harold In Italy

James | Rhode Island, USA | 01/03/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"FINALLY...it's on CD! This is the immortal version of the ultimate symphony. Although not specifically credited, this is the 1962 version that formerly appeared on LP as Columbia Masterworks ms 6358 (stereo)...I personally wore out three copies before it went out of print. I then tried other versions on CDs but found them a poor substitute. "La Mort De Clopatre," which is some kind of operatic work I'm not familiar with, seems aimed at a different audience; but the CD is easily worth three times the price for the Berlioz alone so I can't complain about extras. The recording itself sounds better than the LP ever did, even with a moving coil cartridge, and the mellow tones of Bill Lincer's 400 year old Amati viola are faithfully reproduced. "Harold In Italy" has all the romanticism of Dvorak and Tchaikovsky plus the mathematical precision of Beethoven. This IS the best classical recording EVER MADE! BUY IT!"

Spectacular

David Saemann | 10/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a sensational CD. It was recorded in October 1961, a year before the orchestra moved to Lincoln Center and began to decline in quality. The Philharmonic just sounds spectacular on this CD. They even sound better than the Boston Symphony under Munch in this symphony. William Lincer is an excellent soloist in Harold. His tone is beautiful, and his articulation is spot on. Bernstein's tempos are vigorous but not rushed. He does observe Berlioz's instruction in one of his letters to double the tempo in the coda to the last movement. The 1961 sound engineering is fantastic, as good as anything RCA Living Stereo was turning out at the same time. The performance of La Mort de Cleopatre is highly articulate and dramatically telling. Jennie Tourel sings very well, and Bernstein's accompaniment is vivid and striking. I can't recommend this CD highly enough. In Harold, Bernstein probably is inspired by the landmark 78 rpm recording by his mentor, Serge Koussevitzky. Bernstein's recording is in the same league."

Classic Berlioz readings, but there are drawbacks

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 11/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The reviewer below is wild with enthusiasm for this 1962 Harold in Italy from Bernstein but doesn't seem to realize that La Mort de Cleopatre is also by the same composer, or that Bernstein's 1961 recording with his great friend--and great artist--Jennie Tourel is actually more outstanding. Except for Janet Baker on EMI, no one has approached Tourel in her involvement and commitment. Bernstein follows suit, and the result (which Sony previously paired with the Berlioz Requiem) is a joy.



As for the Harold, William Lincer, the NY Phil's first viola, doesn't have a virtuoso's temperament, and his playing tends to be bland. Too bad, since Bernstein is in very good form. In a way it doesn't matter much that the sonics are a drawback--sharp and edgy throughout, with almost no depth--because Bernstein recorded Harold again on EMI with French forces that, if anything, do an even better job. Unfortunately, he didn't get a first-rate violist the second time around, either, so I can't give more than four stars to the early or later performance."