Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 "Organ Symphony" / Debussy: La Mer / Ibert: Escales Ports of Call

Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra have long been reputed to have produced the definitive performance of the Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony). When RCA began transferring some of their old great recordings to SACD, the Munch Organ Symphony was one of the first. I have both the Red Book CD and the SACD and have been listening to both again over the course of the day, so I will make some comparisons along the way.The Munch/BSO performance is first and foremost extraordinary in its depth and richness. It has an intensity to it heard best in the forte passages, and yet sounds rather relaxed during the softer ones. I think this is a simple quality of Munch being so completely comfortable with the work. It was part of him, and it shows. Performance-wise, I could live with this being my only recording and be exceptionally happy.Unfortunately, there are other considerations in recorded music, namely, the sound. Here we have a mixed bag. In the softer passages, the recorded sound just sounds dated, even on SACD - and I do not think that the SACD improvement is adequate to assert that there are no sound issues with the SACD. There are. While the sound quality in soft sections is very good albeit dated, the loud tutti sections are quite congested and in some instances shrill. This problem can be minimized to some extent by turning the volume down. That, however, is not how many people including me enjoy their music. I certainly prefer concert hall levels and in the 5th row (up close and personal). There is an additional problem of soundstage and center fill with this SACD. The same was true of the Red Book CD. Only the organ seems to be mixed in both channels to any significant degree. RCA may have had old master tapes that were beyond their prime or the engineers may have done a less than splendid job in the remaster. Either way, this disc and the CD have frank sound problems.And the issue is not with my equipment which consists of McCormack amplification, Vandersteen 3A Sigs, Vandy 2Wq Subs, and an Oppo SACD player. Additionally the listening room is fully decked out with diffusers and absorption panels. Good recordings sound exquisite with excellent center fillThe bottom line is that the Munch/BSO performance is second to none but the sound issues for me prevent me from saying that this should be your top pick for the Organ Symphony. The quality of recorded sound matters, especially in orchestral discs. Highly recommended for performance only.Addendum (7-4-15): I am adding this comparative analysis to all of my eight reviews of performances of the Organ Symphony. Please see my individual reviews for greater detail. I have provided conductor/orchestra/organist/label for each review capsule so you can find each recording more easily. The comments are, of course, my educated opinions only, so take them as you will. I have loved this symphony for 40 years and listened to many of the finest recordings. I’ve saved what I think is the best recording for the end, if you just want to cut to the chase. I hope you will find the comparisons helpful.Badea/RPO/Murray/Telarc: This Telarc recording is an account of few new insights interpretively but no crippling errors of omission or commission, either. It is not, however, the most inspired of readings. What we end up with is one of the most exciting sound reproductions that I have heard. The performance is beautiful but less inspiring. Recommended for purposes of hearing what recorded sound SHOULD be.Dutoit/Philharmonia/Hurford/Decca Originals: Dutoit's reading is intense and dynamic, but he takes the fast movements break-neck speed. You can almost smell the smoke rising from the violins by the conclusion of the symphony. Even so, Dutoit's reading is second only to that of Ormandy/Philadelphia/Murray on Telarc. Ormandy's recording is now available as an SACD that is absolutely one of the finest SACD's that I have heard. Recommended, but certainly second to Ormandy.Munch/Boston SO/Zamkochian/RCA: This performance is the consensus favorite for the symphony. It is extraordinary in its depth and richness. It has an intensity heard best in the forte passages, and yet sounds rather relaxed during the softer ones. Performance-wise, I could live with this being my only recording and be exceptionally happy. Unfortunately, the sonics are another story. Softer passages sound dated even on SACD, and loud tutti sections are quite congested. Bottom Line: the Munch/BSO/ Zamkochian performance is second to none but the sonics preclude a slam-dunk for top pick. Highly recommended for the performance.DeWaart/San Francisco SO/Guillou/Philips: This is a lush performance of the Organ Symphony with spot-on tempi, great orchestral balance, and unsurpassed balance between organ and orchestra. This symphony has one long melodic line after another, and DeWaart keeps a long view that prevents any sense of meandering. The organ is stunningly recorded. Brass blaze with glory. Strings are lush. Timpani are extremely well-defined. The clarity of the recording provides an excellent window into finer details. It is difficult to imagine how anything could have been improved upon. The disc is filled out with a strong performance of Widor's Allegro from his Symphony No. 6. This account of the Organ Symphony has everything going for it. There are no obvious weaknesses. If you have excellent subwoofers, they will get the workout of their life. Very Highly Recommended!Nezel-Seguin/Montreal Metropolitan Orchestra/Belanger/ATMA: Nezel-Seguin's account of the Organ Symphony is surprisingly competitive in a crowded field. Tempi are reasonable, dynamics are excellent, organ-orchestral balance is very good, instrumental timbres are superb, and the CD provides for a deep soundstage. I am not particularly enamored with Belanger's choice of registration which caused the organ to be less prominent occasionally. My reservations aside, this was a very impressive performance by this relatively unknown group of musicians, but it is outclassed by Murray/Ormandy/Philadelphia. Still, the disc is so enjoyable, I would recommend it highly as an alternative to Murray/Ormandy and for the enjoyable pieces for solo organ.Mata/Dallas SO/Guillou/Dorian: This one has its share of both positives and negatives. On one hand, Mata's tempi are rather conventional, the Dallas Symphony play superbly, and the recording is vivid and has great clarity. Unfortunately, the negatives are equally strong, beginning with the balance between organ and orchestra that shifts inexplicably from recessed in the coda of the 2nd movement to predominant in the preceding section. The choice of organ registration is poorly matched to the orchestra. In the finale of the 4th movment, the brass are excessively highlighted. The brass play gloriously, but the spotlight detracts from the music. This recording has enough negative attributes to preclude a strong recommendation.Levine/Berlin PO/Preston/DG: This disc also includes Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice, and each receive stunning performances. The organ is rarely prominent in this particular recording until the last movement. Pity. Not until the 4th movement do we finally hear confirmation of an organ actually having a place at the table - and a big place it is until the final measures when the organ inexplicably recedes again into the background. The final movement is just glorious. The preceding three SHOULD have been as well. Despite the short-schrifted organ role in the Organ Symphony, this disc is highly recommended for the beautiful orchestral playing, the symphony's 4th movement.Ormandy/Philadelphia SO/Murray/Telarc: No musical work should benefit more from an SACD recording than Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. Ormandy chooses a tempo for the first movement that is on the slow side. The second movement picks up the pace. The Adagio is sublime. I didn't realize the Philadelphia violins could sound that lush. And the organ could not sound more glorious! The sonics of this recording are demonstration class. The balance between organ and orchestra, like in Guillou/DeWaart, is perfect. The finale demonstrates every positive element within this stunning achievement. I don't believe a finer Organ Symphony has ever been recorded. Michael Murray fills out the remainder of the disc with French organ pieces. The organ and recording are both superb. If you love organ music, you won't want to leave the disc after just the Organ Symphony. The performance stands up well to Munch’s fabulous account but beats it hands down on sonics. This is probably the most impressive SACD disc I have heard. It should be in everyone's collection. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

02-25-2014 I have learned that not ALL SACDs are what we buy them for, their superior sonic s and stunning presence. But, this one is a fine purchase and for a meager 7.47, you can have Charles Munch in THE Saint-Saens Symphony #3 in c-moinor, the Organ. And, what a recording it is! WOW. Right from the get go, it thrills us with crystal clear sharpnesss, vibrant strings and growling, snarling brass, displaying the Boston Symphony in all it's high qualityand rich fullness. Recorded in April 1959-----1959!!! My, what a performance. Munch's tempo is steady and stately as the orchestra spews forth one wave of impressive saound after another, this is a traditional and highly competent 3rd. Munch inherited a very fine group from Serge Kousevitsky whose tenure, ___-to___ is still a highlight of the orchestra's history as well as a golden era in American orchestral growth. Later, in the 1970's the BSO gave Colin Davis's Sibelius cycle the same excellent effort and results on the Philips label and a few years ago, the BSO Live premiered with a sublime reading of the German Requiem, with Levine that I reviewed as one for the ages. This Organ, seems of that same well hewn stock. The early "Living Stereo" release of this Symphony was a well recieved by audience and critics alike butr , with Super Audio technology, this one has truly hit the stars with it'ss spectacular achievement. Still, it is the interpretation that lasts longer than the glists of the demonstration living room amazement. It is a bold and swaggering statement by a much under appreciated American Orchestra that we hear on this RCA SACD. I have the original Living Stereo copy and the remastered one, from a few years later, and now, the absolute latest word in fidelity, Super Audio. Playing it at my normal orchestral volume is still a bit much for my wife as it resonated even my livingroom floor of about 450 SQ. FEET. The gorgeous Adagio of 9:36 is truly encorable, as I couldn't resist hearing it again. I did, however, feel that this Adagio could use a bit more rubato, as it does seem a tiny touch too quick, but it is well within acceptable ranges. For a close look at this piece, sample the passage from 05:35 to about the 06:50, where the plucked deep Boston strings creep up with the organ into the full sun, cresting at one of music's really glowing moments, and next to the finale, a great pinacle of this towering masterpiece. The 3rd movement Allegro moderato;presto is only 7:40, and that is the whole trouble. This whole Symphony is just too short for me, always has been. I am repeatedly clamoring for more, more from the composer, and when it comes, I want still more, as I am never satisfied with this greatest of French Symphonies. Greater than even Franck or Berlioz, for that matter. The Boston percussion gets the royal treatment by the SA guys, and if you like fireworks from your timpanist this is the place to get 'em. Bang, Pow, boom! Holy Munch! Batman! (L.O.L.). The orchestral piano even sparkles and drew a smile from my face. I simply can't say enough about the clarity in this recording. But, don't take my word for it, buy this puppy and prove it to yourself. When I was a senior in Indiana University's nuclear Medicine School I had a particularly challenging Pharmacy course and a very tough "old school" professor, to satisfy. I neeeded at least a B- to pass for the Spring graduation, so I studied my brains out and managed a B+. I rewarded myself with a concert by the Indianapolis Symphony, playing, yep, the Organ Symphony. In the coda, there is a cymbal crash with the forte brass, in a celebratory passage, that seemed to say to me, "you did it." Yes, thak the good Lord, i did. And, thismemory is etched in my memories though it happened yesterday. When that same moment arrives in this recording, the memory returns and I smile warmly. Even after all these years, it still means a lot ot me, and although we feel that music is sheer music, we often attach personal meanings to particular parts, for is not music a personal experience? Of course, it is. But, let me back up for a moment. The Scherzo whips itself up into an orchestral frenzy that Munch manages to control with remarkable skill, as the full weight and heft of the Bostonians threatens to breach any speaker set up. Still, his release, in the passage from the opening of the finale at 00;30 thru 01:41 finds the organ as glorious as possible. Remarkably, the Boston strings finally have an equal voice in this FFF section, and do not get drownded out as in most recordings. THIS is truly astonishing and in the quick but much too short fugal figure that immediately follows, we can hear all it's intricacy and structure sharply defined and realistically presented. Again, let me praise the winds and their contribution. Sweet and true as it gets. Munch, around the 3 minute pooint begins building towards the thundering climax, a few minutes away. Next comes that personal moment of mine, between 05:435 thru to 06:25 then if that isn't enough, Munch reloads for the final, magnificent descending scale with FFF Organ/Orchestra from 07:05 to the last resonant C-major chord at precisely at 07:34. WOW! I am frequenttly impressed by others, but with this one, I am breathless and limp. I beg you pardons for adding my personal anectdote to this review but, music is, after all , a personal experience and I won't apologize for telling a story on myself, but I hope it drives home my big point in this review. The point is this: This is a GREAT,GREAT recording and I can't see it being equalled anytime in the near future. If the word is "definative, " then that is what it is, DEFINATIVE.

ミュンシュがボストン響を指揮したサン＝サーンスの交響曲第3番「オルガン」です。演奏はミュンシュの着実な音楽運びが光っており、どの音も一音一音しっかりと丁寧に鳴らしています。特にオルガンが入るところからの、スケールの大きさは圧巻で思わず身震いしてしまうほど素晴らしいです。グイグイと押してくる演奏ですが、聴いた後の後味は非常に爽快で何度聴いても飽きることがない、古典的な名盤だと思います。

BUT....its a joy to own on SACD. This performance demands hi resolution format is spade. The music herein is really amongst the best reading anywhere. A real easy recommendation.CheersLM

ミュンシュが亡くなる間際にパリ管を振ったブラームス、ベルリオーズ他は不滅の名演としてとどろいている。できればこのサン・サーンスのオルガン交響曲もパリ管で振って欲しかったと思うのは私だけでないだろう。ボストン時代の演奏は名演と言われるものの、ミュンシュ特有の空回り的情熱も感じられ少し微妙に感じていた。このCDでかなり音質は改善され、かつて乱暴に感じた強奏の解釈も少しましなものに聴こえてきた。特にオルガンの音色が曲にマッチして良い。残念なのはドビュッシー「海」の音質で、他ではなかなか聴けないユニークな「熱い海」がぼやけて聴こえる。イベール「寄港地」もしゃれた曲だがあまり印象に残らない。これなら、オルガン交響曲とかつてBMG国内盤でカップリングされ音質いまいちだったフランクの交響曲を組み合わせてほしかった。

シャルル・ミュンシュ指揮ボストン響によるフランス名曲集です。収録曲及び収録年は以下のとおりです。１．サン・サーンス：交響曲第３番「オルガン付き」（1959.4.5-6）２．ドビュッシー：３つの交響的素描「海」（1956.12.9）３．イベール：交響組曲「寄港地」（1956.12.10）いずれも50年以上も前の録音ですが、SACD化によって音質は非常に向上しています。若干のヒスノイズや音の歪みはあるものの、現在の録音と遜色ないくらいのレベルにあります。ミュンシュの一点の曇りのない楷書体で豪快な指揮と、ボストン響のハイレベルな技量が見事にかみ合っており、まずはこれらの曲の手本となるような内容です。とりわけサン・サーンスの録音は非常に臨場感があり、SACDの効果が最も良く出ています。他の２曲は従前のＣＤより解像度が上がった感じです。「海」は快速テンポで、一気呵成に迫ってくるような豪快な演奏で、これほど燃焼度が高く一気に聴かせてしまうものにはなかなかお目にかかれないと思います。ただ、高音質化が裏目に出て、音のひずみがはっきり分かってしまうのは何とも皮肉です。寄港地は骨太でありながら色彩感を失っていない男らしい演奏です。これだけの演奏、そしてSACD化による高音質、さらに低価格ということもあり、購入する価値は大いにあるディスクだと思いました。

This disc is a compilation of recordings made in 1956, (Debussy and Ibert), and 1959 (Saint Saens). The Saint Saens was a speciality of Munch and over the years I have owned three versions by him, all notably exciting. There was a Fontana label 10 inch LP with the NYPO and a Columbia recording before this one, recorded in stereo, with the Boston orchestra.Over the years I have owned a number of alternative recordings in the belief or hope that a newer recording would have better sound and an exciting performance to match. This has proved not to be the case and Munch still reigns supreme. The question now remains, which compilation is best?There was a Red Seal issue which definitely does not have the openness of sound of the Living Stereo version. However its couplings of the Poulenc organ concerto and Franck's Chasseur Maudit are invaluable for being the most exciting ever of the Franck and a particularly good Poulenc. The disc therefore stays in the collection.There is also the SACD version of the Living Stereo disc being discussed in this review. This offers stupendous sound when heard in its SACD form via good quality playback equipment. The stereo Living Stereo sound, good though it is, is simply outclassed by the SACD version. The same difference applies to the two fillers although it must be stated that the star item sonically is the symphony which was recorded in 1959 and three years later than the other two items which were recorded in 1956.The Ibert Escales, a rarity on disc, is generally well played with drive and commitment but suffers from relatively close miking and a lack of ambiance and a rather dry acoustic. This is an original balancing decision and the recording lacks the opulence and depth of stage of the Saint Saens although the SACD version played through surround equipment opens out considerable more than the Living stereo version.The Debussy has the important and totally effective extra brass triplets heard clearly at the end of the last movement. These add greatly to the excitement and are rarely included - the Reiner version also has them, and it is a mystery to me why no-one else has remarked about this important point on either disc. The differences of soundstage relating the the rest of the program apply equally to this piece which lies between the other two in sonic effectiveness.Generally one would not choose a Munch recording expecting sensitive subtleties of interpretation. Munch is more about the broader canvas, excitement, drive and thrills. He had an orchestra that could deliver these and that is what we get on this disc.There are no other choices on disc to be made as regards recordings of the Ibert Escales but there are several more subtle and effective versions of the Debussy to be had, even from the same era - Reiner springs to mind for example. However, Munch is simply in a class of his own when it comes to the Saint Saens and the SACD version is the one to have of that.I would suggest that the disc's longevity in the catalogues is testament to its considerable appeal and would therefore advise that it should be seriously as a strong purchase option, especially for the Saint Saens.