Pierre Boulez - Conducts Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique (1968) 2-LP Vinyl Box Set

Catalog Number: 32-B1-0010

Record Grading: Excellent (EX), Sleeve Grading: Very Good (VG)

Condition Details:

2-LP Box Set, 4-page lyric/dialogue booklet included with a few discoloration spots. Vinyls play with occasional light-crackles (play-graded). Box Cover has noticeable discoloration and scuffing front/back; darker discoloration spots, paper coming unglued on sides on back. Inner-sleeves are original (generic white). Spine is easy to read with some surface abrasion near bottom. Hinge is intact. Some shelf-wear along corners(3 split) and other edges. Some split in paper at bottom edge. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

• Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14
• Lelio, Or The Return To Life, Op. 14b

About The Record:

Conducts Berlioz (Symphonie Fantastique / Lélio) by Pierre Boulez, is a striking recording featuring Hector Berlioz's iconic Symphonie Fantastique paired with its rarely performed sequel Lélio (also known as Le Retour à la vie), performed by the London Symphony Orchestra with narration by Jean-Louis Barrault and soloists including John Mitchinson and John Shirley-Quirk. Boulez's interpretation of the Symphonie Fantastique stands out for its graphic, dramatic intensity, precise execution, and chilling atmosphere that emphasizes structural clarity over overt romanticism, creating a hallucinatory quality that some describe as detached yet harrowing. The inclusion of Lélio is particularly noteworthy as it is a unique monodrama blending music, song, and spoken monologue that Berlioz conceived as a companion to the symphony, depicting the artist's recovery through art. This pairing highlights the composer's innovative blurring of concert and theatrical boundaries, making the album historically significant in presenting the two works together as intended. Popular movements from the symphony include the vivid Marche au Supplice (March to the Scaffold) and the wild Songe d'une nuit du sabbat (Dream of a Witches' Sabbath), which remain fan-favorites for their vivid orchestration and dramatic storytelling.