Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique; recommendations....


Can someone please recommend a particular recording/CD? There are sooo many CD's to choose from and I dont want to buy a lemon. Thanks in advance.
dolphin
if you don't mind a mono recording then try Van Beinum with Ceoncertgebouw from 1946...the best i've ever heard!
I have heard a lot of versions, and while I like the Munch somewhat, I'd say the Telarc/Jarvi version is quite good; if you have an SACD player it's a bonus, as it really has good sound as an SACD, not your old Telarc house sound at all. There was an old Stereophile article years ago comparing the versions at the time (late 80s--Building a Library--back in the days when you had a good classical music review section in Stereophile) which is useful in learning about the various scores out there--some use coronets in the second movement, for example--worth reading, although the recommendations obviously won't include the recent recordings. I'm a little ambivalent about the Dutoit, as I've always felt his recordings, while pristine, lacked the energy and excitement that others have (and that I've heard from him in live concerts). Another good recording, and pretty good interpretation and performance, is the New Jersey Symphony/Macaal on Delos, although it isn't the best I've heard.

Iasi, no Celebidache recommendation on this one? :^)
Rcprince, i'd love a Celibidache Fantastique, but i'm not aware that he ever recorded it...next time i'll see you i'll let you try the van Beinum...
There's a rogue version of Celibidache with his Munich Orch. I only heard it once on one of the ubiquitous "buyme-phone" labels. IMO, it's not recommended for Celi fanatics...
Stick to Beecham. OTOH, if we were talking about a different view of Mozart's Requiem, Celi could be THE ticket.
I love to hear the chimes in the fifth movement. It has such a haunting feel to it. The version that does the best job with the chimes is the 1997 Deutsche Grammophon recording of the Cleveland Orchestra with Pierre Boulez. The chimes are in the foreground with each note just hanging in the air. Other recordings that I have heard have the chimes lost in the background and create no emotional felling at all.