Berlioz "Witches' Sabbath" ('Symphonie Fantastique') - Alfred Wallenstein conducts

In the summer of 1958, the newly-formed Audio Fidelity company made a dozen LPs with the Virtuoso Symphony of London, an 'ad hoc' recording orchestra of top London players brought together specially for the purpose. Alfred Wallenstein, a former cellist under Toscanini, conducted several of these LPs, including a very exciting Berlioz "Symphonie Fantastique." The LPs were cut at a very high level and designed to be played on the most expensive equipment. Despite this, they were prone to distortion and, being very highly priced, probably didn't sell as well as had been expected. In any case, no more recordings were made after that one series of summer 1958 sessions and in due course the company faded away altogether. From the Wallenstein Berlioz LP we hear the finale, 'Dream of a Witches' Sabbath.'

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Berlioz
• Symphonie
• Fantastique
• Witches
• Sabbath
• Alfred
• Wallenstein
• Virtuoso
• Symphony
• of
• London
• classical

[martinadler73]

Another wonderful upload!

[redbrian3655]

Thanks Adam. I had this LP as a teenager, so this is the version of Fantastique that know. Wonderful to hear again. BRIAN