Daniel Harding - Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique - Rameau: Suite de Hippolyte et Aricie (2016) [Official Digital Download]

A world might seem to divide the unbridled Romanticism of Berlioz from the highly controlled art of Rameau, standard-bearer of the French Late Baroque. And yet, at a distance of less than a century ('Hippolyte' was premiered in 1733, the 'Fantastique' in 1830), the same passion links two works more similar than their stylistic divergence might suggest. There is the same audacity in the orchestration, combined with an innate sense of drama that springs repeated rhythmic and harmonic surprises.

The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra performs here a task requiring unusual versatility under their Music Director, Daniel Harding, with his matchless gift for establishing a dialogue between two pioneers of genius. Harding is also Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and Music Partner of the New Japan Philharmonic. He takes up the baton at the Orchestre de Paris -the first British maestro in the orchestra’s history – in September 2016. He has been honoured with the lifetime title of Conductor Laureate of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.

TRACKLIST

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)

Hippolyte et Aricie, suite d’orchestre
1 I. Ouverture 02:49
2 II. Air en rondeau pour les amours. Gracieusement 02:04
3 III. Marche 00:51
4 IV. Marche. Gracieusement 01:51
5 V. Premier air des Furies. Gravement 01:45
6 VI. Premier et deuxième air des Matelots. Gravement-Pesamment-Vivement 02:09
7 VII. Premier rigaudon en tambourin. Très vite 00:31
8 VIII. Deuxième air des Chasseurs et des chasseresses en rondeau 01:54
9 IX . Première et deuxième gavottes. Vite 01:53

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

Symphonie fantastique op.14
10 I. Rêveries - Passions 14:43
11 II. Un bal 06:26
12 II. Scène aux champs 16:25
13 IV. Marche au supplice 07:11
14 V. Songe d'une nuit de sabbat 10:13

PERSONNEL
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Harding, conductor