Although little appreciated in his native France for many years, Hector Berlioz now safely resides among the giants of the 19th century's musical scene. The composer's vocal output is extensive and includes several operatic works; written during 1845--46, La Damnation de Faust forms the subject of this engaging 2CD release.
The work grew out of Berlioz's encounter with Goethe, one of the great influences -- together with Shakespeare -- on the composer's creativity. A hybrid composition which employs just four principal singers and a chorus, as befits a 'concert' setting, La Damnation de Faust is too theatrical to work in this guise -- and, alas, too impractical to be staged successfully. Nevertheless it remains an intensely dramatic piece: listen out for the violent orchestral outpourings of the Hungarian March as well as the 'Ride to Hell', which leads to a terrible vision of Pandemonium. Residing among the composer's most intense and thrilling music, the work features many ballet episodes and includes Marguerite's song -- one of the greatest French operatic scenes. 'Inbal has a fine ear for Berlioz's orchestration, matched by sensitive recording, so that time and again details spring into dramatic life...a distinctive and intelligent performance... No lover of the work should miss hearing it.' Gramophone, July 1991
Other information:
- Recorded in 1989, when the great Israeli conductor Eliahu Inbal spent a remarkably successful and fruitful period in Frankfurt with its orchestra, resulting in several impressive symphonic cycles, notably the legendary complete Mahler Symphonies.Apart from the great artistic value of these recordings, the special one-point recording technique used by the Denon engineers is still a marvel of natural recorded sound.
- A superb release, formerly issued on the prestigious Denon label, of the "dramatic legend" La Damnation de Faust, written (both music and libretto) by Hector Berlioz, after the famous "Faust" of Goethe.
- Wonderful soloists: Maria Ewing, Denes Gulyás, Robert Lloyd and the young Christiane Oelze.
- Includes booklet notes on the composer and the music.
Informacja dotycząca wprowadzenia produktu do obrotu:
Ten produkt został wprowadzony na rynek przed 13 grudnia 2024 r. zgodnie z obowiązującymi wówczas przepisami (Dyrektywą o ogólnym bezpieczeństwie produktów). W związku z tym może on być nadal sprzedawany bez konieczności dostosowania do nowych wymogów wynikających z Rozporządzenia o Ogólnym Bezpieczeństwie Produktów (GPSR). Produkt zachowuje pełną legalność w obrocie, a jego jakość i bezpieczeństwo pozostają zgodne z obowiązującymi wcześniej standardami.
Information regarding product placement on the market:
This product was placed on the market before December 13, 2024, in accordance with the applicable regulations at the time (the General Product Safety Directive). As a result, it can continue to be sold without needing to meet the new requirements introduced by the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). The product remains fully compliant with all previously valid legal standards, ensuring its continued quality and safety.