Negative Positive
Title: Fantastic Program
Review: Hardly anyone could get pull off this kind of program today: Symphonie Fantastique is only a second-half work these days. But to place it in context, showing the progression of French music from Berlioz to Debussy and Ravel, you learn a lot.Also, the conducting is just magnificent. By this time Munch was tired and trying to leave the BSO, but the board didn't want to let him go. So he just kept banging out these French warhorses, with little rehearsal, and each concert was an EVENT because he was always so spontaneous. He loses the orchestra at times (especially in the Berlioz) but it's great to see him drive the BSO over a cliff, as he does in the second movement of La Mer. Also note the impossible duration of the last note in Fantastique...Magnifique!
Is the review positive or negative? 