Credits:

Bruckner, a.

Description:

Based on Shakespeare's play, "Romeo and Juliet" was freely adapted by Berlioz. Although Berlioz himself named it a "dramatic symphony," it is written in a rather free form, with parts sometimes reminiscent of an opera. The melody that appears in the third section was described by Wagner as "the most beautiful phrase of the century," but on the other hand, he also disparaged it, saying "there is a heap of garbage between those wonderful melodies," and like the form, it is a mixture of various elements. However, the sublime ideas that pervade the entire work and the experimental orchestral style that was at the forefront of the time are typical of Berlioz. Because of its sheer length, the entire work is rarely performed in its entirety, but Slatkin's performance here shows a fine, unified finish. Naxos Japan