About this Artist

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Editorial Reviews

While RCA's Complete Collections usually cover one composer's work in a specific genre, this box set is a compendium of Charles Münch's complete Berlioz recordings with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The distinction may matter little to fans of the arch-Romantic composer, whose works are too varied to fall under one rubric anyway; but it is important to point out the significance of Münch's achievement and why this set is so big. Ten discs encompass all the recordings RCA made of Münch and the BSO and issued over 13 years, and demonstrate the conductor's long, thoughtful involvement with Berlioz -- sometimes to the extent of revisiting works, as in the cases of "Roméo and Juliette," "Symphonie fantastique," and the "Overture to Béatrice and Bénédict." This productive period also saw dramatic changes in audio technology, and the historical aspect of these recordings becomes apparent when the mono reproduction of 1949 is compared to the still novel stereo of 1962. Yet the performances matter most, for Münch's subtle interpretations set high standards for his time and are still instructive today, particularly when conductors are too willing to sacrifice musical integrity for exaggerated digital effects. On the strengths of Münch's refinement and the orchestra's satisfying wholeness, if not for the reproduction, this set is highly recommended. Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

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