Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique: C. Munch, Boston SO. RCA Living Stereo (2006) SACD rip via PS3 to iso (2.10GB) | 24bit/96kHz stereo flac | Catalog Number: 67899 | 1954 recording Classical In listening to the Symphonie Fantastique we immediately sense the light & frothy, ineffably 'French' sound that Munch is able to draw forth from the Boston Symphony players. The rubato phrasing in the 1st movement is enchanting & we are amazed by the see-into transparency revealed by the shuffling of the instrumentalists during quiet passages. The phrasing of the 1st violins is exquisitely delicate. Forte passages are wall-to-wall, with the idee-fixe carried by the trumpet deep to the right. Munch has supple control of the crescendi & decrescendi. The listener is drawn into Boston Symphony Hall through space & time by the transparency of the details & the realism of the dynamics. In the 4th movement we note the superb layering & depth in the counterpoint of the tympani & clarinet. Berlioz pulls out all the stops in the finale & we are treated to the clanging gong, trombones, tubas & breathy flutes. Overall, the music is fluid & breathtakingly dynamic. ...I have always heard good things about this recording. Yet, never owned it in any incarnation before. As a performance, the strongest parts have to be, to me any way, the 1st & last movements. I dare say, the march to the scaffold is less harrowing than many other recordings. Though, compared to the Paray SACD, this is quite a bit better. My benchmark, previous to this, has been the Chicago/Solti recording. Performance wise, I will always enjoy that one for the ferocity of the Scaffold movement & the woodwind/brass playing. Don't hesitate to get this if you enjoy a good performance. Soundwise, not an amazing release, but from my knowledge of previous versions, it seems better. sa-cd.net His overwhelming natural affinity for French music made Charles Munch an ideal conductor for Berlioz's swirling tour de force Symphonie Fantastique. Perfectly capturing the drama, romance & philosophical angst in which this masterpiece is marinated, Munch takes the Boston Symphony Orchestra on an epic journey of proportions only possible in the human heart & mind. A classic, reborn in vivid Living Stereo. acousticsounds.com Tracks: 01. Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14 - 1. Reveries - Passions 13:22 02. Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14 - 2. A Ball 06:11 03. Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14 - 3. Scene In The Country 13:56 04. Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14 - 4. March To The Scaffold 04:29 05. Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14 - Witches' Sabbath 08:47 06. Romeo Et Juliette (Dramatic Symphony) Op. 17 - Part II - Love Scene 13:20 ===================================================================== foobar2000 1.1.11 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1 log date: 2012-04-01 03:03:37 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Charles Munch, Boston S O/Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique; Love Scene from Romeo & Juliet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DR Peak RMS Duration Track (iso @ 0dB Gain) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR14 -4.90 dB -24.82 dB 13:23 01-Reveries: Passions DR14 -4.55 dB -23.41 dB 6:12 02-A Ball DR14*-4.12 dB -25.36 dB 13:57 03-Scene in the Country DR12 -4.95 dB -21.45 dB 4:30 04-March to the Scaffold DR12 -5.34 dB -22.39 dB 8:39 05-Dream of the Witches' Sabbath DR12 -6.88 dB -24.87 dB 13:20 06-Romeo and Juliet (Dramatic Symphony), Op.17 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 6 Official DR value: DR13 Samplerate: 2822400 Hz / PCM Samplerate: 176400 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 24 Bitrate: 5645 kbps Codec: DST64 ====================================================================== .....and silly DR caused by 3 ch on track 3 but peaks are good. ***Not worth making Mch flacs for one 13 min track!!*** ====================================================================== foobar2000 1.1.11 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1 log date: 2012-04-01 03:37:14 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Analyzed: Charles Munch, Boston S O/Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique; Love Scene from Romeo & Juliet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DR Peak RMS Duration Track ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DR48 -4.90 dB -28.80 dB 13:23 01-Reveries: Passions DR46 -4.55 dB -27.39 dB 6:12 02-A Ball DR48*-4.12 dB -29.33 dB 13:57 03-Scene in the Country DR44 -4.95 dB -25.43 dB 4:30 04-March to the Scaffold DR46 -5.34 dB -26.37 dB 8:39 05-Dream of the Witches' Sabbath DR35 -6.68 dB -26.88 dB 13:20 06-Romeo and Juliet (Dramatic Symphony), Op.17 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Number of tracks: 6 Official DR value: DR45 Samplerate: 2822400 Hz / PCM Samplerate: 176400 Hz Channels: 5 Bits per sample: 24 Bitrate: 14112 kbps Codec: DST64 ====================================================================== ..........and the stereo flac cionversion: ============================================================ foobar2000 1.1.11 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1 log date: 2012-04-01 21:16:54 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Boston Symphony, Charles Munch / Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR14 -1.90 dB -21.82 dB 13:24 01-Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14; Reveries: Passions DR14 -1.55 dB -20.41 dB 6:12 02-A Ball DR14 -1.12 dB -22.36 dB 13:57 03-Scene in the Country DR12 -1.95 dB -18.45 dB 4:30 04-March to the Scaffold DR12 -2.34 dB -19.39 dB 8:48 05-Witches' Sabbath DR12 -3.88 dB -21.87 dB 13:20 06-Romeo et Juliette, Op. 19; Love Scene -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 6 Official DR value: DR13 Samplerate: 96000 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 24 Bitrate: 2829 kbps Codec: FLAC ================================================================================ Checksum for iso: FA4860A52FC135F552A5E1AE81E803BB Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique.iso Checksums for stereo flac tracks: 0d27bbb6adda42e8873a6f9b5a59f6c3 *01 Reveries- Passions.flac 2147e7b63a4c302dbb02438d1431a263 *02 A Ball.flac 5ab2f46a03b966a0de921719c84e2235 *03 Scene in the Country.flac bb50c165d8c63be2c6244b00986be76d *04 March to the Scaffold.flac 95d32dd4ecd383c0771b1260f60ccd05 *05 Dream of the Witches' Sabbath.flac 1236573dfc96bfdf4d3729711e686b9b *06 Romeo and Juliet (Dramatic Symphony), Op.17.flac