Franck - Symphony in d minor - Chicago / Monteux

César Franck

Symphony in d minor

I. Lento - Allegro non troppo 0:00
II. Allegretto 18:02
III. Allegro non troppo 28:39

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Monteux
Studio recording, Chicago, 7.I.1961

[mr-wxlv]

It is reputed that Pierre Monteux was at the premiere of this symphony at the age of 13. You've probably got here the most authentic version ever recorded...

[hansbjarning]

Awesome performance, Monteux was one of the best conductors of the 20th century. He was already 86 years old when this was performed, thanks' for uploading. :)

[jochanaan]

Where Monteux excels, aside from his obvious technical mastery, is in the perfect balance between strictness and flexibility. I've heard some conductors overdo the tempo changes, and others who had little flexibility; but Maître (as always) is flexible without exaggeration and with faithfulness to the written music. That is his mastery.

[johnschumacher]

One of the best recordings of the Chicago Symphony during the Reiner era. It's a terrifying work, conducted by a master who knows it intimately, featuring a combination of raw power and absolute precision that had probably never been heard before, and has seldom been heard since.

[CraigFarangBa]

To me, the definitive performance of this masterpiece

[melissaking]

2nd movement is beautiful. Love the harp and pizzicato strings at the start.

[olegcaetani]

Wonderful recording with great temperament and freedom but also with sense of measure without exaggeration!

[renato]

A Pierre Monteux si deve la presentazione di molti capolavori del XX secolo, primo tra tutti il Sacre stravinskiano, nel 1913. Un grande direttore, talvolta sottostimato.

[billsullivan]

A superb recording by Monteux with a great orchestra. More than a half century old, but sounds like it could have recorded yesterday. When this was recorded, it became the standard with which all other Franck- Symphony in d minor recordings were judged. The passion of this work is too much for many conductors. Thus, we do not hear many new recordings. Monteux was a small man with short arms, but almost more passion than is respected in our times. A great recording that has had a joyful life.

[obduliorincon]

1st class orchestra; 1st class conductor!
- “The baton is a prolongation of the conductor’s arm which is in its turn a prolongation of the conductor’s mind and heart transmitting the music’s message to the musicians and the listeners and thus helping to create that complex and wonderful relationship: Composer – performer – audience.”
(Gary Bertini, Hebrew: גארי ברתיני‎, May 1, 1927 – March 17, 2005) was one of the most important Israeli musicians and conductors)
🎧

[notaire]

Spannende Interpretation dieses großarteigen Meisterwerks mit gut phrasierten Töne aller Instrumente ohne Langweile. Der erfahrene Maestro dirigiert das hoch funktionelle Orchester im relativ schnellen Tempo mit dramatischer Dynamik. Das ist Pierre Monteux!

[patrickcrosby]

Words to the finale (which every undergraduate music student knows:)
This is the theme of the Frank d minor symphony
It's not a good one
but it's a long one!
But Papa Pierre and the CSO make it all bearable

[easy]

Swarowsky did this conception of the symphony far better than Monteaux did.

[paulchavez]

Pierre Monteux is the great reference to this symphony. He dominates it even in the smallest passages, playing them with greatness.
This was the version that I knew as a child and it is the one that has set the tone. I recognized her instantly after 50 years. It is as if I were listening to it again but with more sound quality. Undoubtedly one of the best symphonies, at the level of Brahms and Dvořák, should be played more in concert halls. She is amazing!

[goethemephisto]

Absolutely Godly and Mightily Sublime!

[jochanaan]

It should also be mentioned that Monteux was one of the greatest baton technicians in history (with Reiner). Orchestras never had to guess what he wanted; his baton told them. As someone said, the baton was as much part of him as his head and heart.

[theodentherenewed]

What a phenomenal piece of music. One thinks they heard a lot of good stuff and you come across something mind-blowing like Franck's only symphony. This is a historical recording of course, because Monteux knew the piece since the premiere in 1889 he attended. It's rigorous and with a lot of tremolo on the strings, which is lovely in the piece. You won't find better than this. And the handling of subjects in the first movement is just gorgeous. This symphony deserves more attention that in gets, because Franck played in the top league of composers, at least in this piece.

[MOGGS]

No beating about the bush. This is quite magnificent.

[Lactoris]

great performance of one of the greatest symphonic works

[elainebmack]

I fell in love with this symphony during my college days. It's a piece people either really love or really hate. I happen to love it, especially the second movement.