Berlioz – Le carnaval romain et Symphonie fantastique

ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTRÉAL 
MUSIC DIRECTOR RAFAEL PAYARE 

Recorded in December 2024 at Montreal’s Maison symphonique, it builds on the Orchestra’s rich legacy of recordings. 

With this recording, Payare and the OSM celebrate Berlioz’s inventiveness through two signature works: the Symphonie fantastique, which revolutionized the symphonic form with its bold narrative quality, and Le carnaval romain, which exalts the orchestral brilliance of French Romanticism. The OSM recently performed both works in some of Europe’s most prestigious venues during its November 2024 tour. Now, audiences everywhere will have the chance to hear the Orchestra’s interpretations—performances that enthralled critics only a short time ago. 

This new album also has a very special dimension. The Symphonie fantastique features the first recording of the bells acquired by the OSM in the summer of 2024. Two bells from a set of ten are heard on this recording. These bells broaden the orchestra’s sound palette and bring an incomparable brilliance, enriching Berlioz’s original vision. Set for release on October 17, this album will be the OSM’s 138th. 

A RETURN TO THE OSM’S DNA

Following three acclaimed releases on PENTATONE—Mahler’s Fifth Symphony (2023), Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder paired with Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben (2024), and Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht and Pelleas und Melisande (2024)—all jewels of the late Romantic repertoire, Rafael Payare and the OSM now return to the Orchestra’s very DNA, reconnecting with a lineage of legendary recordings that began in the 1980s.

While the OSM’s 1985 recording of the Symphonie fantastique brought the Orchestra international renown, this present-day interpretation draws fresh inspiration from a reinvigorated and vibrant orchestra that breathes new life into the iconic work, infusing it with novel colours and renewed impetus.

This flagship piece is paired with Le carnaval romain, the first work conducted by Payare upon his appointment in January 2021 as music director of the OSM. The meaningful choice of repertoire reflects an intuitive musical affinity with the Symphonie fantastique, which here also takes on a personal and sentimental dimension for the conductor.