Berlioz (1803-1869) - Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker Suite : Oskar Fried / USSR State So, Royal Po -Transfers & Production: Naoya Hirabayashi - Import CD

Credits:

Bach

Description:

Oscar Fleet's one of the most monstrous performances of all time, reissued in its best condition! Includes Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique & Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" Suite and a very comprehensive and readable commentary! Oscar Fried (1871-1941) was born in Berlin and was active mainly in Germany, but died mysteriously in exile in the former Soviet Union. He was a close friend of Mahler and is famous for recording Mahler's Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection," for the first time in history. In his days as a trumpeter, Fried recorded not only "Resurrection," but also R. Strauss' Alpine Symphony, Bruckner's Symphony No. 7, and other major works, including Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique and Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" Suite, which stand out among his recorded legacy. The Symphonie fantastique, said to have been recorded on optical film in Moscow in 1937, is filled with the dread of a wandering ghost, as symbolized by the opening of the first movement. The tempo suddenly swings, and the sound is dark and somber. Especially impressive are the limping fourth movement and the bizarre bell ringing in the fifth movement. This performance was reissued once in June 2007 on the CDR series "Serenade" and became a smash hit (SEDR-5000).At that time, it was an LP reissue (on an Oirodisc LP), but this time, a 2-track, 38 cm open-reel tape was used to obtain the best possible sound. The Tchaikovsky is an SP reissue. This one has slow and sluggish pieces contrasted with fast and crazy pieces. The "March," for example, is just fast enough for the trumpets to keep up with the tonguing. Trepak, on the other hand, is a "trepanik"-like piece that ends with an acceleration of the trumpet. In "Waltz of the Flowers," a persistent harp at the beginning of the piece foretold what was to come, and as the piece progressed, the voltage increased, creating a bizarre atmosphere. Incidentally, Fried recorded the "Nutcracker" Suite with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra (Deutsche Polydor) in 1927, but this is a very standard performance. The commentary is filled with textual information, photographs, etc. (12 pages including cover). This is one of the most bizarre performances in the history of the orchestra, and it can be enjoyed in abundance. (Naoya Hirabayashi) King International Co.

Berlioz Collection List