Charles Munch: Ravel Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2 (BSO, 1960)

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé Suite No.2
Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Munch, Live in Japan
May 4, 1960 NHK Hall (Uchisaiwai-cho, Tokyo)

[@DARUMA-02]

自然の風景を人々の頭に喚起する音楽はあっても この雄大な自然そのものを目の当たりにした様な音楽が人間に作れるなんて信じられない、ラヴェルは本当に凄いな。

[@perspicaciouscritic]

I am at once overwhelmed, enthralled and fighting back tears.

[@EcceHumanitatis]

It really is surpassing, isn't it?

[@EcceHumanitatis]

Thank you for posting this. Utterly fantastic in every way.

[@xkay-six1845]

Bravo to them for being able to play it that fast, my head was spinning for the second half😂

[@Infidelio]

No one plays like this anymore.

[@EcceHumanitatis]

I wish I knew why...

[@user-tv3bu9jd3v]

I think Ralph Gomberg has the most beautiful oboe sound in the world. It was fun to see Joseph DePasquale lead the violas on the outside of the stage. The viola tone color is so important in Ravel's orchestration. Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe show the Boston Symphony at their finest. Nobody can touch this. I wonder where Doriot Anthony Dwyer was. She was my favorite flutist. She was from Streator, Illinois.

[@zigzag2510]

Veramente fantastico; la miglior resa orchestrale della pallette di colori di Ravel. Anche la sua Pavane è la più bella che abbia ascoltato

[@larbaud]

The best.

[@philippesimon566]

Sublime !

[@zinam5795]

It was "belle epoche" for BSO, especially with French music .... C.Munch was the BEST....!

[@gabrielkaz5250]

Belle Époque* Merci

[@zinam5795]

I forgot my school French--thanks for your correction!

[@kimsteel366]

Ack!! That last movement, though.. Super lit and super WOW!! Epic performance!!

[@david_satz]

The clarinet section here was Gino Cioffi, my teacher the late Felix Viscuglia (long before he was an actual member of the Orchestra), Pasquale Cardillo (Eb) and Rosario Mazzeo (bass). It's a little amusing that the camera operator kept zooming in on the first clarinet whenever there was about to be an Eb clarinet solo; the Eb player was sitting at the whole other end of the section.

[@duvidl]

It appears that two of the principals of the BSO didn't make this trip: Roger Voisin, trumpet and Doriot Anthony Dwyer, flute.

[@EcceHumanitatis]

@@duvidl Also Joseph Silverstein, the Concertmaster. That's Richard Burgin, the assistant concertmaster, playing the violin solo.

[@duvidl]

@@EcceHumanitatis Richard Burgin is the Concertmaster here seated next to him is Alfred Krips, the Asst. Concertmaster. Silverstein is seated at the third desk next to Rolland Tapley. Silverstein became Concertmaster two years later (1962) when Burgin retired after 42 years as Concertmaster and Leinsdorf became Music Director.

[@EcceHumanitatis]

@@duvidl Thanks for the clarification!

[@schwei56]

A bacchanale like no other, before or since, *avec un soupçon en plus de feu,* than was ever offered in Symphony Hall, Boston.

[@MuzBuz]

That's his cake.

[@Wagnerian197901]

Superb performance in superb stereo sound. Thank you!!

[@erick-gd7wo]

I know maestro Munch from his Debussy and other Ravel, displayed a strong rhythmical character and bit quick tempo. But here, maestro blended a high degree of precision and a very flexible tone colour. This feat is new to me. I love his Bolero for its maddening impression towards the climax. BTW, the bnw pic contrasted so immensely with audio quality which has a wide dynamic range and perfectly natural stereo.

[@MuzBuz]

The sound track in the original film was replaced. See the technical notes: i.ibb.co/2NbwGRp/tech-instr-BSO1960.jpg

[@zinam5795]

Unbelievable unique Sense of Music 🎶🎶🎶

[@itistheflute5873]

7:41 - 9:18 James Pappoutsakis; what projection, what tone, what sonority... , it is simply some of the best fluteplaying ever. On par with Fernande Dufrene arond the same time in the Orchestre National de France.

[@richardvolet3970]

Laurent was still playing on the fantastic 1959 recording. I guess this was in between, before O'Dwyer took over. That 59 recording and this are amazing. Munch was so great...you can see how beautifully clear he was. His Debussy Afternoon of a Faun is also amazing, much faster than usually heard. Maybe he knew then about the score Debussy had marked with his tempi, in preparation for the final edition of huis lifetime. These were the early stereo recordings, usually with just three microphones, achieving a true orchestral sound, so unlike almost all modern multi-miked, highly engineered recordings. The orchestra is amazing, so dynamic, and the recording captured that!!! Is that O'Dwyer sitting next to P., playing second flute?

[@richardvolet3970]

Watching more...definitely not O'Dwyer sitting 2nd flute. Anyone know who?

[@user-ur1ke5zc3j]

夢のなかで戯れてるような感じです。

[@straussstrauss8242]

La beautée impressionnant !

[@zinam5795]

The Unique energy of any Tempo--that's helped for good Form!

[@douglasmurphy9127]

sublime

[@Titanandenceladus]

Beautiful and surprisingly slow for Munch.

[@erick-gd7wo]

Oh yes, when i listened to his Bolero

[@detectivehome3318]

LISTEN TO THE DANSE GÉNÉRALE

[@EcceHumanitatis]

The Danse Générale is hardly slow!

[@JohanHerrenberg]

Tremendous, even without the chorus.

[@EcceHumanitatis]

I wish they'd included the chorus, but even without it, wow!

[@RUETRUFFAUT]

sublime Maestro

[@EcceHumanitatis]

Wasn't he incredible!

[@loiseaunoir1021]

LA REPRISE DU THEME À 2:41 VIENT D'UN AUTRE MONDE

[@worditupify]

/Hi! Where is this video from? Is there a place to get the hi quality audio?

[@ursulaschlapbach311]

I think this is good quality

[@ursulaschlapbach311]

Stupid

[@EcceHumanitatis]

Bernard Zighera and Lucile Lawrence on harps!

[@Mr-Prasguerman]

12:23 ravel ?!?!?!

[@kunsuker]

It looks as if the Hellenes had a fierce fight on Danse générale!

[@diegoruvalcabapena5240]

a question why no more videos upload?

[@MuzBuz]

not have much time for this, sorry about it

[@Titanandenceladus]

Anyone know who the female 2nd flute is?

[@winrx]

Chris Lovett Sorry but that young lady doesn't look like DAD......

[@MrKlemps]

Mr. Kershaw is correct. The other flute player IS Lois Schaefer, who was the BSO's piccolo player at the time. Doriot Anthony Dwyer was hired by Munch and appointed principal in 1950, the first woman appointed to a principal position in an American orchestra. It so shocked the orchestra's audience at that time that some people supposed there was some hanky panky between Munch and his principal flutist, which was not only untrue but tastelessly insulting to both of them. Munch chose her solely because he was bowled over by her playing and soon enough we all were!

[@RobertCoulter]

@@AudiophiliaChannel She was the greatest orchestral piccolo player of all time.

[@pnocella]

@@AudiophiliaChannel Correct!

[@donaldallen1771]

@@lovettboston I believe you are incorrect on two counts. That is not Doriot Anthony Dwyer. I met her several times and that is not her. Furthermore, she became principal flute in 1952, eight years before this performance (you said "she later became principal flute", which is incorrect). Apparently she didn't make the trip to Japan and Pappoutsakis was in the principal's chair for this concert.

[@user-ch6ly8uj8g]

なんという貴重な演奏。日本のどこで行ったのか、教えて下さい。

[@user-eq2uw1fi1f]

画像説明にデータの記載がありますよ。1960年の来日公演。東京の旧NHKホールです。このホールは収容人数は少ないながらも、音響はとても良かったと言われています。カラヤンの1957年のベルリンフィル、1959年のウィーンフィルのこのホールでの映像もDVDで出ました。

[@detectivehome3318]

11:35

[@photo161]

Where's the chorus?! Munch can beat time as furiously as he wants. Still, the excitement isn't there, the climaxes are never fully realized unless there is a chorus. Period!

[@formalynoza5948]

The keyword is 'Suite No.2' and work it out the rest.

[@EcceHumanitatis]

Cost a pretty penny to fly an entire chorus over to Tokyo in 1960... I miss the chorus too, but Munch is doing a hell of a lot more than beating time. Have you ever watched him rehearse?

[@timw2498]

They played well, in spite of the bad conducting.

[@detectivehome3318]

*wild

[@Infidelio]

That “bad’ conducting is why they play well. Troll.

[@EcceHumanitatis]

Sure, Jan.

[@caseywlamb8066]

No way you called Charles Munch a bad conductor---literallly widely regarded as the best conductor of french music ever