Best sounding Saint-Saens Sym No. 3?


Yes, I have the BSO/Munch sacd release but which version has the best sonics? It doesn't have to be the best performance and my purchases are online so I cannot judge that aspect very well.
rotarius

Showing 3 responses by texasdave

I have eight versions of this favorite warhorse and sonic blockbuster, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned one of the best, somewhat more recent versions, which has excellent sound: it's the SECOND Telarc version, also with Michael Murray as organist, with Christian Badea conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded 1990-91. (The first Telarc version, with Murray, Ormandy, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, was recorded back in the early days of digital in Feb. 1980.)
Another estimable version not mentioned here so far is the one recorded circa 1976 on DG with Gaston Litaize, organist, and Daniel Barenboim conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. By the way, I have on hand all three remasterings for CD that RCA has issued of the famous old Zamkochian/Munch/Boston SO version of 1959. These are the first CD issue of 1987, the "Living Stereo" remastering of 1993, and the DSD/SACD/hybrid remastering of 2004. I'm listening in two-channel only, but there is no question that the SACD hybrid of 2004 is the best-sounding of these three.
I also prefer the second (later) Telarc version. In theory the idea of recording the organ separately--in a different time and place--sounds awful--certainly a turn-off to purists. But pragmatically I find that when carefully done it has delivered good results in several recordings made this way (e.g., the fine Litaize/Barenboim/Chicago version on DG). I might also add that, while I like the Guillou/Mata/Dallas SO version on Dorian of the Jongen very much and recommend it, I can't recommend this version of the Saint-Saens. The fiddling with the adjustable acoustics of the Meyerson (where I regularly attend Dallas SO concerts, by the way) delivers disappointing organ-pickup results in the Saint-Saens, to my ears (but not in the Jongen, where the organ sounds grand). Incidentally, there's another fine (and fine-sounding) recording of the Jongen, by Murray on Telarc. Happy listening.