FRENCH SYMPHONIES From the Nineteenth Century To The Present A Discography of CDs and LPs Prepared by Michael Herman Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) Born in La Côte-Saint-André, Isère. As a child, he learned to play several instruments from his father, a doctor who was an amateur musician. He had private musical lessons from Jean François Le Sueur before entering the Paris Conservatory where Le Sueur and Anton Reicha were his composition and counterpoint teachers. He went on to become one of France's greatest composers whose music pushed composition in revolutionary directions. In addition to the symphonies, his large-scale masterpieces were the opera "Les Troyens" and the choral works "La Damnation de Faust," "L'Enfance du Christ" and the requiem "Grand Messe des Morts." With the exception of his various overtures, there are very few other orchestral works by Berlioz. Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (1830, rev. 1831) Claudio Abbado/Chicago Symphony Orchestra (+ Roman Carnival Overture) DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 474165-2 (2003) (original LP release: DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 410 895-1 GH) (1984) Claudio Abbado/Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (+ Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream - Incidental Music) BERLINER PHILHARMONIKR BPHR160081 (2 CDs) (2016) Ernest Ansermet/Orchestre de la Suisse-Romande ( + Corsair Overture) DECCA SXL 6343 (LP) (1968) Ernest Ansermet/Orchestre de la Suisse-Romande (rec. 1968) ( + Liszt: Battle of the Huns and Wagner: Faust Overture) CASCAVELLE VEL 3143 (2010) Ataulfo Argenta/Orchestre de la Société du Conservatoire Paris Orchestre de la Société du Conservatoire Paris (included in collection: "Original Masters - Ataúlfo Argenta - Complete Decca Recordings 1953-1957) DECCA 4757747 (5 CDs) (2006) (original LP release: DECCA SXL 2009/LONDON CS -6025) (1958) Raffi Armenian/Orchestre du Conservatoire de Musique du Québec ( + Champagne: Hercule et Omphale and Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Prelude and Liebestod) QUEBEC EOQ 19809-3 (LP) (1983) Joseph Balzer/Berlin Symphony Orchestra (pseudonyms) ROYALE 1325 (LP) (1952) MusicWeb International p1 Updated: August 2020 Berlioz Symphonies Sir John Barbirolli/Hallé Orchestra (rec. 1947) ( + Fauré: Shylock - Nocturne and Wagner: Die Meistersinger - Suite) DUTTON LABORATORIES CDEA 5504 (1998) Sir John Barbirolli/Hallé Orchestra (rec. 1959) ( + The Damnation de Faust - Orchestral Excerpts and Roman Carnival Overture) EMI PHOENIXA 763762-2 (1991) (original LP release: PYE COLLECTOR GSGC 14005) (1964) Sir John Barbirolli/Hallé Orchestra (rec. 1969) (+ Debussy: La Mer) HUNT PRODUCTIONS HUNTCD 731 (1990) Sir John Barbirolli/Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Baden-Baden (rec.1969) ( + Haydn: Symphony No. 83) ICA CLASSICS ICAC 5105 (2013) Daniel Barenboim/Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra ( + Roman Carnival Overture SONY CLASSICAL 88697930952 (2011) (original CD release: CBS MASTERWORKS SMK 39859) (1984) Daniel Barenboim/Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( + De Lisle/Berlioz: La Marseillaise}) APEX 2564678707 (2010) (original CD release: TELDEC 3984 23710-2) (1996) Daniel Barenboim/West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim ( + Liszt: Les Préludes) DECCA 4785350-2 (201 Daniel Barenboim/Orchestre de Paris DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2531 092 (LP) (1979) Enrique Bátiz/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ( + Roman Carnival Overture and Corsair Overture) ASV CD RSN 3045 (2005) (original CD release: ASV CDDCA 590) (1988) Serge Baudo/Orchestre des Jeunesses Musicales de France CLUB NATIONAL DU DISQUE CND 26 (LP) (1957) Sir Thomas Beecham/Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française ( + Corsair Overtures, Les Troyens - Royal Hunt and Storm and Trojan March) EMI MASTERS 9187092 (2011) (original LP release: HMV ASD 399) (1959) Eduard van Beinum/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (rec. 1946) ( + Schubert: Symphony No. 8 and Beethhoven: Creatures of Prometheus Overture) DUTTON LABORATORIES CDK1208 (2000) MusicWeb International p2 Berlioz Symphonies Eduard van Beinum/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra ( + Damnation of Faust - Orchestral Excerpts and Les Troyens - Trojan March) (included in collection: "Original Masters - Eduard van Beinum - Complete Decca Recordings 1948- 1953) DECCA 473110-2 (5 CDs) (2003) (original LP release: DECCA LXT 2642/LONDON LL-489) (1951) Leonard Bernstein/The Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra FEDERATION INTERNATIONAL JEUNESSES MUSICALES OMJM 74 (LP) (1979) Leonard Bernstein/ORTF National Orchestra ( + Beatrice and Benedict Overture, Roman Carnival Overture and Corsair Overture) EMI CLASSICS CDM 7 64630-2 (1993) (original LP release: HMV ASD 3397) (1976) Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic (rec. 1963) ( + Symphonie Fantastique - excerpts from the 1968 recording ) SONY SMK 60968 (1999) Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic (rec. 1968) ( + Benvenuto Cellini Overture, Roman Carnival Overture and Damnation de Faust - Rákóczy March) SONY ROYAL EDITION 47525 (1992) (original LP release : CBS 61910 /COLUMBIA MS-6607) Gary Bertini/Budesjugend Orchestra DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI HM 810 (LP) (1986) Gary Bertini/Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra ( + Roman Carnaval Overture and Benvenuto Cellini Overture) CAPRICCIO SACD 71094 (2006) Herbert Blomstedt/Dresden Staatskapelle (rec. 1978) WEITBLICK SSS0092-2 (2017) Douglas Bostock/Argovia Philharmonic ( + Weber/Berlioz: Invitation to the Dance) COVIELLO CLASSICS COV 91508 (2015) Pierre Boulez/Cleveland Orchestra ( + Tristia) DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 453432-2 (1996) Pierre Boulez/London Symphony Orchestra ( + Roman Carnaval Overture, Benvenuto Cellini Overture, Beatrice and Benedict Overture, Lélio, Nuits d'Éte, Les Troyens - Royal Hunt and Storm, Sicilienne and La Mort de Cléopâtre) SONY SM3K 64103 (3 CDs) (1994) (original release: CBS 77226/CBS 32B10010) (2 LPs) (1968) Lionel Bringuier/Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (rec. 2014) (included in collection: “Celebrating 150 Years - Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich”) SONY CLASSICAL 8898547184 (14 CDs) (2018) MusicWeb International p3 Berlioz Symphonies Semyon Bychkov/Orchestre de Paris PHILIPS 438 939-2 (1993) Sylvain Cambreling/Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra ( + Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin) EXTON OVCX-00055 (2010) Jean-Claude Casadesus/Lille National Orchestra HARMONIA MUNDI MUSIQUE D'ABORD HMA 195072 (1993) (original LP release : HARMONIA MUNDI 10072) (1981) Sergiu Celibidache/Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1970) ( + Dvorák: Slavonic Dances) ENTERPRISE DOCUMENTS SERIES ENTLV 965 Sergiu Celibidache/Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della Radiotelevisione Italiana (rec. 1968) FREQUENZ CD 041.021 Sergiu Celibidache/Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della Radiotelevisione Italiana (rec. 1969) ( + Roméo et Juliette: Part II) HUNT CDLSMH 34037 (original LP release ? : FONIT CETRA CTT 111) Sergiu Celibidache/Münchner Philharmoniker (rec. 1989) MÜNCHEN PHILHARMONIKER 8709997424 (2020) Zuohuang Chen/National Symphony Orchestra of China PHILIPS 456 647-2 (1997) Myung-Whun Chung/Bastille Opera Orchestra (+ Dutilleux: Métaboles ) DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 445 878-2 (1993) André Cluytens/Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1955) ( + Roman Carnival Overture) ARCHIPEL ARPCD 0290 (2006) André Cluytens/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (rec. 1955) (included in collection: " The Prague Spring Festival") ANDANTE AN2150 (4 CDs) (2004) André Cluytens/Orchestre de la Société du Conservatoire Paris (rec. 1964) (included in collection: "Great Conductors Of The 20th Century - André Cluytens") EMI CLASSICS 75106-2 (2 CDs) (2002) André Cluytens/ORTF National Orchestra ( + Roméo and Juliette: Orchestral Excerpts) TESTAMENT SBT 1234 (2002) (original LP release: COLUMBIA CX 1439/ANGEL 35448) (1957) André Cluytens/Philharmonia Orchestra ( + Roméo and Juliette: Orchestral Excerpts and Damnation of Faust - Orchestral Excerpts) MusicWeb International p4 Berlioz Symphonies SERAPHIM 69020-2 (1995) (original LP release COLUMBIA 33CX 1673) (1959) James Conlon/Orchestre National de France (1990) ERATO ECD 88028 (1984) Sir Andrew Davis/BBC Symphony Orchestra BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE MM 113 (1993) Sir Andrew Davis/Toromto Symphony Orchestra CHANDOS CHSA5239 (2019) Sir Colin Davis/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra PHILIPS 464 692-2 (2001) (original LP release: PHILIPS 6500 774) (1974) Sir Colin Davis/London Symphony Orchestra (+ Roman Carnival Overture) PHILIPS DUO 442 290-2 (1994) (original LP release: PHILIPS SAL 3441) (1964) Sir Colin Davis/London Symphony Orchestra LSO LIVE LSO 0007 (2001) Sir Colin Davis/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra PHILIPS 432 151-2 (1992) Pierre Dervaux/Orchestre des Concerts Colonne EMI 253557-2 (original LP release: DUCRETET THOMSON CC503) (1962) Christoph von Dohnányi/ Cleveland Orchestra ( + Weber/Berlioz: Invitation to the Dance) DECCA 430201-2 (1991) Antal Dorati/Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra ( + Roman Carnival Overture) DORÁTI EDITION ADE 028 (2015) (original LP release: MERCURY MG 50024) (1955) Antal Doráti/London Symphony Orchestra (rec. 1960) ( + Sibelius: Violin Concerto) ANTAL DORÁTI LIVE ADL203 (2016) Charles Dutoit/ Montreal Symphony Orchestra ( + Harold en Italie, Roméo and Juliette: Orchestral Excerpts, Les Troyens - Royal Hunt and Storm and Damnation of Faust - Rákóczy March) DECCA DOUBLE DECCA 455361-2 (2 CDs) (1997) (original CD release: DECCA 414203-2) (1985) Charles Dutoit/NHK Symphony Orchestra (rec.1996) ( + Ravel: Alborada del Gracioso) MusicWeb International p5 Berlioz Symphonies KING INTERNATIONAL KKC2056 (2012) Christoph Eschenbach/Orchestre de Paris NAÏVE V4932 (2002) János Ferencsik/Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra HUNGARITON SLPX 12 713-2 (LP) (1984) Thierry Fischer/Itah Symphony ( + Rêverie et Caprice, La Mort d'Ophélie