Complete Damnation of Faust

[Travelman]

I'm in for a treat tonight. I will be attending the Pittsburgh Symphony performance of the Berlioz The Damnation of Faust. Though I have only been acquainted with the Hungarian March, I just got a copy of the entire work and...well...wow! looks very cool.

[UDELBR]

If there's not an ophicleide and tuba onstage, it's not the real deal. Just sayin'.

[Travelman]

This was a powerful performance, taking one musically from Faust's melancholy to his temporal joy of meeting Marguerite...and then into the depths of hades to the bliss of the the forgiven. It was a sonic feast of contrasts.

Beriloz used a full orchestra along with 3 soloists and two choirs. (and the use of two tubas used tonight was perfect!). Supertitles really helped...quite a story line...

Craig Knox delivered, of course with beautiful playing throughout. Particularly refreshing and satisfying was to hear his leading line basically start the fugue found in the "Fugue Sur le theme de la Chanson de Brander". The second tuba joined in at the end of the end of the piece when Faust was cast into the depths, with Mephistopheles and his gang laughing and boasting about Faust's folly...ah...Berlioz taking the ears to new places!!

I have only heard The Rako'zy March live once--way back when i was a kid. So this was my first true real life hearing! So cool to hear, especially within the context of the entire piece--The Dramatic Symphony.

Thoroughly enjoyed this full-spectrum musical experience!!

(And as an aside...I am pretty sure I know where Bernstein got his inspiration for the opening gesture to "Maria"...IMHO)

[WC8KCY]

I've done that one - with a friend who is also a TubeNetian.
There's a whole bunch of stuff in that that is "filler" (to my ears), along with some good stuff...
Pittsburgh, though, should deliver it as well as anyone.
Say hello to my son-in-law (3rd horn/black hair).

I hope I get to perform this work someday, along with Symphonie Fantastique. Some of my favorite excerpts in all of music come from these works.
Most unfortunately, the local orchestra I performed with has disbanded.