The choral versions of "La mort d'Ophélie" and "Sara la baigneuse" may be relative rarities on record but both are vintage Berlioz. These short and striking pieces should be much better known. They are paired here with a terri?c account of the Symphonie fantastique.
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REVIEW:
The Utah Symphony under conductor Thierry Fischer has carved out a distinctive specialty in French music, with a fine three-volume cycle of Saint-Saëns and now, perhaps even better, with this confident album of Berlioz. The Symphonie Fantastique is one of Fischer's fortes; conducted without a score, it seems to unfold here in a single gesture. Equally enjoyable are the three short works that conclude the program, neglected because they tend not to fit modern symphonic programs. The program is coherent, confident, and fresh, and the fine sound is just icing on the cake.
