Repertoire: The BEST Berlioz Harold In Italy 

Well done, Dave! Just retired my old, middling version and ordered the Bernstein/NY Phil version - from Japan. Many thanks...

For what it's worth, I am among those who like Harold in Italy more than the Symphonie Fantastique. The Imai/Davis recording has always ranked among my favorites, but I'm going to check out the Bernstein recording. Also, I 100% agree with your opinion that we don't need to wade through bad historical recordings when we have lot of good newer recordings in much better sound.

Ormandy was my introduction to the piece. Thanks for all the other recommendations! I'll keep on listening.

Dave, I was delighted to view your Harold in Italy survey. It is a work that I much prefer to the Symphonie Fantastique. My first introduction to it was via the Mehta/Benyamini version, and that remains my favorite for the spectacular playing by the Israel Phil and the vivid sonics. You can't do better, though I have not, unfortunately, heard either Bernstein. Among the older versions Toscanini is still splendid (I am a great Toscanini fan, but not a Toscanini cultist), as is Munch. Since I started tuning in to your reviews a few months ago, my wife has begun listening in as well. We often find your avuncular manner and offhand remarks uproariously funny. So much better than reading a review (though I still do that religiously). Keep it up!

Bravo, David Hurwitz, and Amen! We are in fact living in a new Golden Age of superb music instrumentalists and conductors, and to pooh-pooh anyone or anything that appeared after 1970 is not only false, it is reprehensibly irresponsible.

When I was in Palermo a year ago (beating the White Lotus fanboy and fangirl crowds) I went to a concert of Harold and the Manfred Symphony. It was a looong evening. But this is probably the only time I'll ever get to hear Harold live, which I prefer to the Symphonie fantastique. I don't know who the violist was, a young blond European type, but he and the orchestra were excellent.

Cher Monsieur, Thank you for this video and your suggestions. After listening to you, I hastened to listen to Yoav Talmi's version and I must admit that it is a great discovery! However, my preference goes still towards the "conductors of the past". Toscanini is remarkable. Munch loved Berlioz and you can feel it when you listen to him. Regarding Bernstein, I only know the version with the national orchestra of France, live. It's a great, great version. However, I allow myself to add a recording which cannot be forgotten when presenting Harold in Italy. It was Hermann Scherchen in 1954 with the Royal philharmonic orchestra with Frederick Riddle - alto (CD Nixa or Tahra). The sound is very good for its age and the interpretation is terrific (incredible final orgy ......) Thanks again, it's always a real pleasure to watch you learn and share.

"Orgy in Italy" ... what a great overview! I not only own the Gardiner/Colin Davis renditions, but the video includes DH's signature "bah dah dah - bah dah - BAH dah DAH!!" Brilliant.

Hello David! Thank you for all your reviews, you are a great help on discovering the great world of classical music Since you did all the best Berlioz Symphonies but not Romeo and Juliet how about doing a video about it? I would really apretiate it 😁 Thank you for your time

Great suggestions, David. I kind of like vintage recordings, but agree with your survey of the Berlioz ones. If anyone benefits from modern sound, it's Berlioz, Ravel and Debussy. I have a fondness for the Toscanini, too, and agree about the others. The real shocker for me was Bernstein. I don't know how, but I'd never heard his version before! Wow! It knocked me on my butt! What an amazing performance! Thanks so much for pointing me there. I'll have to track down the Mehta, too.

A salute to your even-handedness. I know you're not big Gardiner fan but I agree that his Harold is excellent. Alongside the Bernstein for me, but with a spectacular recording and a breathtaking Tristia as fill-up, it gets my #1 vote.

Interesting remark you make about the tempo and that most performances have the same tempo. It seems to me that in Berlioz, more than any other composer i know, there is a kind of ideal tempo, this seems a fixed thing, and when the performer achieves that, the performance is most of the time, tempo-wise, ok. With Berlioz you never should go over the top, it's an ideal fusion of the classicism/romanticism style, when a performer does it in a too romantic/sentimental way, the performance usually fails. And how i love Harold, especially this dreamy sequence with the endless arpeggi in the viola! Well whats not to like in Berlioz, he wasnt capable of writing a dull note, and wow, was he a writer! And now on to Romeo and Juliet!!

I’ve always had a soft spot for Harold in Italy because: (a) Berlioz is one of my favorite composers, (b) my beloved father is named Harold, and (c) I love the viola is a solo voice, even though this may not be a virtuosic work. I think Toscanini and Bernstein are a tie for me; lots of color and crucially, the spine needed to pull things off. A sleeper you didn’t name that stands up relatively well is Barshai and Oistrakh with the Moscow Phil. Maybe a bit reserved but still fun. Scherchen is next on my list for a listen. San Diego did a great job with the Berlioz overtures in the 90s - who knew the sunny shores of Southern California would be such a fertile environment for Berlioz! I’ll have to check out the Talmi disc.

Fischer-Dieskau and Josef Suk with the Cech Philharmonic are in my ears absolutely great for their authentical, expressive and very differenciated interpretation! Dutoit could probably be similar as I know him!

The Mehta version is in the symphonies and symphonic poems Decca box ! And I have it ! But no Bernstein and no Davis, but Munch and Gardiner. And Maazel in Cleveland (Decca). Best wishes from Northern Germany. Since Monday we will have a second corona shut down for four weeks. Stay healthy !

Like your comments about recorded sound , and in that vein recommend Maazel’s Cleveland Orchestra recording on Decca- very exciting finale in great sound

I had read that the originally choice for Bernstein's NYP recording was to be--of all people--WILLIAM PRIMROSE--which would have been his fourth studio recording the work! He was ill, however, and William Lincer, the orchestra's longtime principal violist, took his place.

My favourite performance is Mehta's, coupled with a most interesting work by Bloch. Some years ago, I remember ordering it from Amazon after reading a review by Victor Carr Jr. on ClassicsToday.

Spot on with Bernstein. He was a specialist in French music, especially 20th century.

As always, I have enjoyed your video Mr Hurwitz. Thank you. I have noticed Bernstein's later "Harold" in a box "An American in Paris". As you know, it has exciting program of French music by Bernstein. Any recommendation for the box as a whole?

Fantastic survey as always @David Hurwitz! I must say that I slightly prefer the last Colin Davis recording to Bernstein's but I agree the Bernstein is a very exciting reading. Only Romeo and Juliet to go before your Berlioz symphonies cycle is complete!

For me it is Bernstein/NYP. What a performance! Dutoit’s is a surprise. As for Fantastique it is Beecham.

Such great music, so many recordings! My current favorite is Colin Davis’s last recording on LSO Live. It’s so exciting and well played. I also have Dutoit with Zukerman which I keep for the accompanying overtures: a fine Corsair and a wonderful Rob Roy with terrific horns! On LP I had the Czech Phil under Fischer-Dieskau (!) with Josef Suk. Do you know it? It got rave reviews when it came out, but always thought it a bit tepid-no doubt due to F-D’s conducting. I wonder if he ever recorded anything else as a conductor.

No François-Xavier Roth? I heard he ate spaghetti the morning of the recording to get in the mood. In the name of authenticity.

I always thought the orchestral viola part was harder than the solo viola part

Mehta spoiled me for accelerando at the end.

Holy cow. When are the Columbia/Rodzinskis coming out?

Fyi..Warner is issuing a George Szell box. It has his EMI recodings(Brahms Violin/Double Concerto,Gilels Beethoven piano concerto etc) it also has a slew of older recordings (Casals-Dvorak,Huberman, Beethoven). I have all the modern recordings and not to interested in the historical performances. I usually buy everything Szell but I think will pass.

Excellent talk, Dave, and I couldn't agree more with your choices. Too bad the the Kosler is hard to source, and so is another excellent Czech Philharmonic version, the one with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau conducting, with soloist Josef Suk. It's even better recorded than the Kosler. If you want to get geeky about Primrose and Harold in Italy, he actually plays best in his 1939 Toscanini/NBC broadcast. Re Maazel, which one did you not care for? The Cleveland, the Berlin, or both? I can see (and hear) why, although Maazel's DG live download with the New York Philharmonic and violist Cynthia Phelps is quite good and has a better Orgy.

What do you think of Dutoit’s Harold?

I thought all the time: no Bernstein? Really no Bernstein? Okay, I'm consoled. My starter was Colin Davis / Philips, then I got the Gardiner (which not really convinced me), and then Bernstein, and afterwards, I confess, I don't need more "Harold". In fact, I'm not so fond of the work itself, because the viola has a decent, even weak sound, and, in a certain way, I have the impression that Berlioz tried to solve the problem in letting the orchestra playing loudly, when the viola is silent, and making a tiny, indifferent sound, when the viola plays - and that he does mechanically so. One never get's a surprise. Even the finale starts very strong and looses more and more tension (which could be the reason, why Markevich made a cut). In my opinion, Berlioz wasn't so good a composer for long orchestra pieces - the "Symphonie funèbre" being the one exception for me. He was best, when he composed hybrid stuff like "Roméo et Juliette", "La Damnation" or even this very strange "Lélio" . Anyway - with Bernstein, "Harold" is fun and worth hearing!

Not so re 2nd movement - tempi vary considerably. Best is an allegretto which doesnt drag and oversell this wonderful movement. Gotta have what the french call insouciance. The maddest orgy is Mibkowski's.

Count me among those who prefer "Harold in Italy" to "Symphony Fantastique".

Toscanini's Orgy has spoiled me for all others despite the many delights in the other mvts of the later ones I have. Including Suk/Fischer-Dieskau with the Czech Phil which I was surprised not to see mentioned.

Why not just call it "Hector in Italy" and be done with it. There is nothing Harold-ic about the piece!

Unusually I have to disagree with you over the importance of the viola part, partucularly in the Davis recordings. Menuhin is out of tune (how rare !) . I have met professor Imai, heard her live many times and have the deepest respect for her, but in this case she did not sound interested. It does make a difference, and is one reason why the last Davis is the best. How often orcheatra principals do better in solo parts than star players. Think Carlton Cooley with Toscanini ain Harold. Also in )) numerous Beethoven concerti (Grunberg, Krebbers, etc.)