Search - Berlioz, Leaper :: Symphonie Fantastique

Artistic

David Saemann | 01/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Due to his associations with Naxos and Arte Nova, Adrian Leaper has come to recording some of the major staples of the symphonic repertoire at a relatively young age. That he has done so with such eminent success is a testimony to the breadth and depth of his talent. This Berlioz CD is no exception to that statement. Leaper takes the repeats in the first and fourth movements, although he does not use the optional cornets in the second movement. This is a reading of heavenly length. The winds in this orchestra make a piquant sound, which is especially interesting in the third movement, where the solos have a lot of character and create a beautiful atmosphere. The bells in the finale are loud and chilling, while the whole movement veers from episode to episode with tremendous elan. Leaper's orchestra may not shake the rafters in the biggest moments of the March and the Witches' Sabbath, but he achieves a cultivated sound that emphasizes the superiority of Berlioz's skills as an orchestrator. The sound engineering is good, if not spectacular. In sum, Leaper has a lot to say about Berlioz, and this CD is as recommendable as the best of his Naxos and Arte Nova CDs are."