Repertoire: The BEST (and WORST) Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony (No. 3)

One of the great challenges to recording engineers, the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony has an impressive number of recorded failures, but also, happily, quite a few notable successes.

[robertbangkok]

re: Munch BSO recording: The original 3-channel master on SACD is revelatory. The presence of that center channel places the organ dead center with perfect balance. RCA invented the "microphone ring" with 2 mics on either side and one center forward. What a difference that makes. That original 3-channel master was taken out of the box where it sat for about 45 years, played back on an Ampex 3-head deck and fed directly into an analog-digital converter. This is the sound the engineers heard on the day they recorded it in Symphony Hall, Boston. Remarkable! Highly recommended.

[WesSmith-mi]

My dad loved organ music, and the piece of music that worked by osmosis more than any other in the house, was dad's reel-to-reel recording of the Organ Symphony with Ormandy and Biggs. To this day, whenever I listen to the Organ Symphony, the visual I have is of the cover of that Ormandy/Biggs recording. But, yes, Munch is the one to die for! Thanks as always for such great discussions.

[gonzostick]

The organ in that Ormandy recording is a pipe organ, built by Aeolian Skinner, donated by Mrs Zimbalist, who also commissioned Barber to compose the Toccata Festiva, also recorded at The Philadelphia Academy, as was the Organ Symphony.

[johnlowe]

Most informative and helpful. Thank you.

[robertjones]

I love the Ormandy/Phila/Biggs EARLIER mono recording - Ormandy did two recordings with Biggs, and the mono had more punch than the stereo one. It's in the box set! My introduction was the Munch/BSO/Zamkochian that I still listen to a lot.

I had not known of the Mata recording. Thanks for pointing it out! I loved his Ravel - particularly his Alborada del Gracioso and La Valse with Dallas on RCA.

[burtonhughes]

The most reverberant version I ever had was the Pierre Segon with the La Suisse Romand. It actually broke a thin crystal goblet I had in the dining room breakfront

[joseluisherreralepron]

The Mercury disc with the Paray Mass is fantastic. I really enjoy the mass and I've not seen it anywhere else...the crash on the tam-tam in the penultimate movement will clear those cobwebs away! And hearing Paray talk to the members of the orchestra is priceless.

[erinbiggs]

How about the James levine, Berlin philharmonic orchestra ?

[mickeytheviewmoo]

Ormandy/PO all the way for me. The sound is absolutely spot on. The coupling is all important and no duds. A remarkable disc from beginning to end. With Munch, i get slight sound distortion with the organ which i find annoying. Performance is a great one though

[stephenchen]

I did hear a good live performance at the cathedral in Newcastle, Australia in 1986 - sounded great to my ears.

[lednew]

I looked it up out of curiosity since I grew up with the Munch and Ormandy recordings as yes, the 1962 Philly recording was made in the Academy Of Music (one of the few times Ormandy recorded there) with their new Aolean-Skinner organ. Munch is still the winner for me, especially because of Boston's 32 foot pedal stops.

[allthisuselessbeauty-kr]

The Fremaux CBSO performance - wonderful and fantastic recording quality. Had it on LP in the days when quadrophonic sound was considered a neat idea.

[tortuedelanuit]

Chiming in for Chung (DG). The most moving interpretation of the Poco adagio I have heard.

[MrClaudeholmes]

Excellent observation about this particular work of the composer. I happen to have the recording of the SFS recording - My first Saint Saens & The Telarc with Ormandy & the Phila' Orc. My 2 favs & The BSO with Charles M.

[robertjones]

It's really funny, but your off-key dad-da-da-da-dump way of verbalizing the music always recall the music you're mimicking, because your tempo is almost always accurate! And, highly entertaining too! Thanks!

[alfredolabbe]

Dear Mr. Hurwitz: I KNEW from the beginning that your favourite would be the Munch!! I learned the Symphony with that version in a Chilean LP pressing in the sixties and simply erased it playing and playing it. Now I have two CD pressings (just in case). Also in my collection: the Paray (still sounds wonderful) the Martinon (EMI), and the Barenboim! Plus the Pretre (signed by him) and the Maazel. I've found the Mata in Apple Music. Thanks again!

[SynchroScore]

You mention how excessive reverb will kill this piece, and that's how the Paray/DSO recording actually lucks out. It was recorded in the Ford Auditorium in Detroit, which was actually a failure as a classical music venue, because the stage was so wide and the hall was very dry and dead. But it worked on this recording, because it made everything sound very crisp.

The hall is no longer standing, and Aeolian/Skinner was just barely saved before demolition began. I believe this is the only commercial recording of that organ, in fact.

[alfredolabbe]

The Edo de Waart is also available in Apple Music. Thanks again!

[klassichaus]

Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra recorded a mono version for Columbia in October 1956 with E. Power Biggs in Boston Symphony Hall. It is quite well recorded (for a Columbia mono), and a great performance, and in the same acoustic as Munch's 1959 RCA. The Ormandy Columbia stereo version was recorded in 1962. Paray/Detroit for me in the classic/legacy department, Mata/Dallas for a modern recording. Thanks for your reviews!

[zevnikov]

Dear Dave. I love how sharp and honest you are. Story with Ludwig Beck follows.