Charles Munch Conducts "La Mer" and "Daphnis Et Chloé" bits

[pindaric]

I think there's no doubt that we no longer see the close connection between a conductor and his orchestra. The orchestras are seldom anyone's now. Even their music director often seems more like a guest conductor--take Levine and the BSO .

[micheleGuido1200]

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[grandisdavid]

I am French but I truly think Munch has never been better served than with Boston Symphony. This is indeed truly amazing. I also love the Martinon version with Chicago. Too bad French orchestras can't compete with that.

[AphroditeEros33]

<3 Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful video*^o^* It's really nice to listen and see his conduct *^o^* <3

[zaqmen123]

ach, bin total ungezogen heute! wer hat bock zu texten oder camen

[musicynic]

holy #$%@ he took that awful fast at the end!

[laubandel]

Dionysisch!

[visualmusicshow]

A great orchestra with lots of color and personality and a great, inspired conductor. They don't seem to make them that way anymore, it's true. Am grateful to have heard them 1971-80 with many of the same players and occasionally with fine conductors like Tennstedt, W. Steinberg, Giullini and Kubelik etc.

[dasteufelhund]

damn..this tempo, I bet made some of these players sweat.

[kikakon]

Fantastic!

[pawdaw]

I don't know of another conductor who takes final Danse in Daphnis as fast as Munch does!

[manwalrus]

Dutoit did, but I prefer Munch's.

[ipmoic]

A million thanks for posting this insightful film of a very great master at work (and play). He was a gift that the Boston Symphony never truly appreciated nor was ever able to replace. His French repertoire is untouchable.The greatest Symphonie Fantastique ever recorded!

[54spiritedwill54]

Absolutely amazing

[liebe0zur0musik]

Fantastic!

[musicamultimedia]

there is an evident parallelism between Munch and Bernstein, musical and also for the way to conduct the orchestra, in the freedom of the gesture and interpretation. Thanks to TheGreatPerformers for this intreasting anthology!

[snaaptaker]

Priceless! The glory days of Boston.

After Koussevitzsky and Munch...

They don't make 'em like that anymore.

[ben1111]

Brilliant!

[winrx]

What a glorious sonority this orchestra possessed - what happened in the last 35 years...?

[billyguns2]

My opinion is that we no longer have great conductors who insist on a taut, forward moving musical line coupled with beauty of sound; each great orchestra took on a great conductor's unique sound. This came from decades of working with the same orchestra and honing it as a great ensemble. Today's jet-setter conductors sepnd little time with their home orchestras. You could blindfold me, play different recordings and I could tell you who the conductor was just by their sound.

[LFinDC]

I agree completely, 110%, with each observation you make - especially the blindfold bit. Will that kind of conductor, with an unmistakable musical personality, ever return?

[litenslick]

I agree with you, billyguns2 100%!!!

[billyguns2]

Erich Leinsdorf and Seiji Ozawa, that's what!

[billyguns2]

I love Munch's LA MER, unique in my experience; Herbert Von Karajan was reportedly amazed by it as well. Thanks for posting this, which shows the glorious Boston Symphony at its absolute zenith.

[stickwagger]

This is music-making "on the edge". It's not safe, it's so exciting!

[stravinskas]

What an orchestra!!! Actually unbelievable! And Munch is fabulous, he's loving the sheer virtuosity of the players. I will be conducting this with my orchestra soon and I can see it being so much slower...:(

[ipmoic]

Don't forget Ralph Gomberg--oboe and Bernard Garfield--bassoon. Too bad it was a few years before Harold Wright--clarinetist extraordinaire would be joining them. Munch's 1950's Symphonie Fantastique is the most exhilarating version of that piece ever recorded. Absolutely mad and divine.

[Lynne9992007]

Having sung under Munch at Tanglewood during the 60's and studied under flautist James Pappoutsakis, this brought back many memories..Thankyou

[YTM021807]

Overwhelmingly beautiful!!

Great Video-analysis!

A must for Debussy admirers.

[niubilly]

Get a load out of Tommy Thompson (the greatest cymbal player ever) and although they didn;t show Vic Firth playing, his comments are priceless! Was there ever a better percussion section than the BSO in the 60's? NOPE!!!

[stickwagger]

Wasn't Vic playing side drum in Daphnis?

[niubilly]

I believe that was Harold Faberman. When Vic came into the BSO in 1952, he played auxilary percussion for a year until they offered him the timpani chair.

So at the time of the broadcast he was timpanist. I studied with Vic from 1966 to 1970 and just went back to NEC for a class reunion, at which they honored Vic with a lifetime achievement award.

[grifffinity]

Get a load of that wind section! Doriot Anthony Dwyer RULES!

[HalWeller]

Absolutely amazing! Munch was one of my first conducting idols when in 1955 I heard the BSO for the first time. Great to get a glimpse of Roger Vosin (princ. trpt.) and Sammy Mayes (princ. cellist). Bravo to you for posting this!

[ilbon007musa]

Like a dream! Now I'm watching Munch I have been respecting for 33 years!

Thank you !