A classic of the disc, which remains a fascinating reference

Orchestral masterpiece of Saint-Saëns, the 3rd Symphony "Organ" tends to overshadow the rest of the production of French composer, yet exciting and varied, including four symphonies and many concertos for piano, violin, cello ... But it is true that even in familiar Saint-Saëns and his work, it often comes down to the 3rd symphony, which definitely deserves to be considered a major product of the French school, and should its difficult to achieve under ideal conditions not be played more often (larger rooms with an organ as in Berlin or Boston allow however to hear it quite often).

It is therefore not surprising that the discography of that symphony is particularly provided, compared to that scrawny devoted to four cases for which the most advisable solution remains Jean Martinon intelligent integral with the National Orchestra of ORTF. Deutsche Grammophon was not long no major recording of this symphony in its catalog, where US producers had each its 3rd Saint-Saëns: Eugene Ormandy as he had already twice led the Philadelphia Orchestra to support both best enemies of the organ at the time, for RCA Victor Virgil Fox and E. Power Biggs for Columbia. And the side of the French interpreters, Paul Paray and Marcel Dupré with Detroit competed with Charles Munch and Boston, the local organist Berj Zamkochian was involved.

For the German company, it was necessary to deploy large resources, which is why the choice fell on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, used to partition under the baton of Jean Martinon expensive, management is entrusted to a rising wand, the pianist Daniel Barenboim. The whole was canned in 1976 with an additional small technical feat, unusual for the time. Indeed, to dampen spirits, DG chooses to ensure the organ part to save the Great Organs of Notre-Dame de Paris, Gaston Litaize and not the incumbent Pierre Cochereau keyboards (presumably for contractual reasons). Litaize thus recorded his part afterwards, listening to the band captured the US to synchronize. One detail that goes unnoticed (and is also not so rare in the discography), but asked nonetheless full agreement of the organ according to the orchestra, several weeks of preparation (not sure move the orchestra would not have been cheaper) ...

The result is a record technically flawless, striking, with a powerful orchestral impact, total control, and invested an architectural vision. However, it could be inhabited, more quivering, more mysterious, properties that are found in the most faithful musicians at the French spirit of the work, especially in Munch. The spirit here is a little too much perhaps that of a "showpiece" orchestral, a demonstration exercise more than a work artistically significant. But the recording Barenboim-Chicago Litaize do nonetheless a really valuable element in the discography, and one of the best recorded.

Despite the success of this version, DG is not really his satisfaction and renewed experience when Karajan showed the hint, with Berlin and Cochereau this time still "re-recording" synchronized at Notre Dame de Paris . Sound cathedral built by Karajan, especially in the remastering of the Gold Edition, transfigures the score and establishes another form of reference after Paray and Munch dawn of the stereo.

Supplements (Danse Macabre, Bacchanal, The Flood) broadly confirm the impression that the record longer seeks technical demonstration that the prominence of a composer to actually ignored then. Nearly forty years later, replay, it is extremely difficult to hide his pleasure: how not to get caught?