Search - D'Indy, Monteux :: Vincent d'Indy: Symphony on a French Mountain Air; Symphony No. 2; Fervaal Prelude

An old tape recorded on a new CD

Suddhaseel Sen | 09/12/1999

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is an old pre-Dolby tape recorded on CD. Hence, you hear all of the hiss that you used to get on your tapes. What a shame, because it is a good performance."

Better than that

John H. Borders | Louisville, KY United States | 06/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Despite some nominal tape hiss, it doesn't mar the interpretation - one of the very few (and easily the best) of the 2nd Symphony. Once you get used to the originality of the 2nd Symphony, any minor technical flaws (such as tape hiss) should be forgotten. The entire disc is one of the best of Monteux's entire output, including any of his recordings, both pre- and post-War."

Excellent musicianship, but poor sound

Suddhaseel Sen | 10/16/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In his time, Pierre Monteux was the greatest conductor of French repertoire, and this recording, too, is characterized by excellent musicianship. Nevertheless, d'Indy's scores, especially these symphonies, call for the best possible sound quality, and therein lies the drawback of this pioneering but old recording. There are several other recordings of the Symphony sur un chant montagnard francais (Dutoit's being one of the best), but there are only two others of d'Indy's Second Symphony. Michel Plasson has recorded the two symphonies for EMI France, but it is not Plasson at his best. The recording of the Second Symphony by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic under James DePreist is an unknown gem - splendidly performed and recorded, this is the version to go for. I have heard it several times, and my admiration for the symphony, the orchestra and the conductor has only increased with time! However, the other work on the DePreist CD is the symphonic poem "Souvenirs", written by d'Indy in memory of his first wife, and although that work, too, receives an excellent performance, I have never warmed up to that piece. It's best to go for the DePreist CD for the Second Symphony, and one of the better recordings of the Symphony sur un chant montagnard francais in modern digital sound."