Symphonie Fantastique; Love Scene from Romeo et Juliette.

Berloiz: Symphonie Fantastique; Love Scene from Romeo et Juliette. Paavo Jarvi, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Telarc CD-80578.

One thing is clear: this is probably the best-sounding Symphonie Fantastique you're going to find around. Whether you will take to the middle-of-the-road interpretation is another story. Paavo Jarvi is the new Musical Director of the Cincinnati Symphony and this is their first outing together for Telarc. The recording was made in October, 2000, about a year prior to his officially taking over. I am sure he will bring to the orchestra a rich European tradition and a fresh new outlook as well.

When I said middle-of-the-road above, perhaps I was being unfair. It is a fine performance, full of excitement and passion. It's just that the four comparison discs I had on hand were exemplary for their inventiveness in this work, and Jarvi tends to pale somewhat in their shadow. The four I used for the test were Sir Colin Davis's second Concertgebouw recording (Philips), a remarkably mature performance; Leonard Bernstein's Orchestre National de France disc (EMI), a fiery reading; John Eliot Gardiner's original instruments rendition ...