Album available // Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique by Ataúlfo Argenta 🎧 Qobuz (Hi-Res) bit.ly/42OSHAo Tidal (Hi-Res) bit.ly/3I123iH 🎧 Apple Music (Lossless) apple.co/3uCuII5 Deezer (Hi-Fi) bit.ly/3I47vkQ 🎧 Amazon Music (Hi-Res) amzn.to/3usU62T Spotify (mp3) spoti.fi/3SZZjZj 🎧 RUclips Music (mp4) bit.ly/3UInD2X 🔊 Download the album (Hi-Res MASTER - WAV uncompressed) cutt.ly/Classical-Music-Reference-Recording-Website-Argenta Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, H 48 00:00 I. Rêveries, Passions: Largo, Allegro agitato e appassionato assai, Religiosamente 12:47 II. Un Bal: Valse. Allegro non troppo 19:11 III. Scène aux Champs: Adagio 34:41 IV. Marche au Supplice: Allegretto non troppo 41:09 V. Songe d’une nuit de Sabbat: Larghetto, Allegro Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire Conductor: Ataúlfo Argenta Recorded in 1957, at Paris New mastering in 2024 by AB for CMRR 🔊 Join us with your phone on our WhatsApp fanpage (our latest album preview): cutt.ly/5eathESK 🔊 Find our entire catalog on Qobuz: cutt.ly/geathMhL 🔊 Discover our playlists on Spotify: cutt.ly/ceatjtlB ❤ Support us on Patreon www.patreon.com/cmrr/about The death of Ataülfo Argenta at the age of forty-three is all the more tragic because it resulted from an unnecessary and stupid accident. Colorful and inventive stories have been told about the circumstances of his death in January 1958, but the truth is unfortunately very simple. One evening during a harsh winter in northern Spain, Argenta and a student decided to study in the composer's study, which was detached from the main part of the house and located above the garage. Since the room was cold, Argenta suggested that until it warmed up, he and his companion should sit in his car. In the closed garage, with the car's engine running, neither of them was aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. The student lost consciousness but was revived, while Argenta died. These stark facts are all the more poignant because Argenta was then destined for greater achievements in his career. Just weeks before his death, he confided to a journalist his plans for the future and added that, since conductors generally reach a reasonable age, he had plenty of time to achieve his ambitions. In reality, his career lasted barely a dozen years. Argenta was born in 1913 in Castro-Urdiales, a fishing village on the northern coast of Spain. His musical talent was initially focused on piano study. He won the first prize for piano at the Madrid Conservatory at the age of seventeen. After a year of further study in Belgium, he returned to his country where he pursued a more than respectable local career as a pianist. But as he sought to broaden his horizons, he moved with his young family to Kassel, Germany, to continue his studies, which he financed with his earnings as a pianist. There, he met and befriended Carl Schuricht, who recognized Argenta's potential for conducting and encouraged him in that direction. With the war, living conditions deteriorating, Argenta returned to Spain. He was already thirty-two years old, but his conducting career quickly took off. He joined the National Orchestra in 1945 as a pianist, and then, after a few months, conducted the orchestra. He founded the Madrid Chamber Orchestra in 1946. His reputation grew so quickly that he was appointed musical director of the National Orchestra at the beginning of 1947. A shortage of conductors in Spain multiplied his opportunities, and soon he received invitations to perform abroad. He gained a good reputation in Paris, where he conducted the Conservatoire Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Radio France. He worked closely with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Orchestra. He also conducted the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He made a strong impression on Ernest Ansermet, the aging musical director and founder of the orchestra, who quickly saw Argenta as his natural successor. Audiences and critics were impressed by the energy, rhythmic vitality, and expressive power of the Spanish conductor. With a long and imposing figure on the podium, with precise and firm gestures, he demanded a lot from his orchestras, always displaying discipline and a high level of professionalism, without ever showing his Latin temperament. Erik Smith, the producer of the Berlioz recording, reported how the orchestra was disturbed by an interruption during the session. In contrast, the conductor did not let the incident disrupt his concentration. Argenta's links with France and its music are particularly close. Parisian orchestras gave him his first significant opportunities to perform outside of Spain, and he remained loyal to them throughout his short career. He was deeply moved by French music, so much so that French composers often appeared on the programs of his concerts. Given this deep affinity, it is less surprising than it may seem that DECCA asked a Spanish conductor to record a French work, Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. Argenta had a natural and unparalleled intuition for Spanish music. However, he preferred not to be considered a specialist and developed a vast repertoire including composers as diverse as Purcell, Prokofiev, Mahler, Stravinsky, or Berg. He made his first recordings in the late forties. His discography, very full for such a short career, is dominated by a series of about fifty zarzuelas. In Spain, his popularity was more akin to that of a popular star than that of a conductor. His death was felt as a national disaster. At his funeral, a silent crowd lined the sidewalks as the procession passed slowly by. An imposing statue of Argenta now dominates Castro-Urdiales, the conductor's birthplace. Berlioz: Les Nuits d'été & Ravel: Shéhérazade by Régine Crespin 🎧 Qobuz bit.ly/3Mye1SS Tidal bit.ly/3MCqKDZ 🎧 Apple Music apple.co/43SG5aD Deezer bit.ly/42aukLs 🎧 Amazon Music amzn.to/3MBOesV Spotify spoti.fi/3OJpL7S 🎧 RUclips Music bit.ly/426cE3H 🎧 Naspter, Pandora, Anghami, QQ音乐, LineMusic日本, Awa日本... Hector Berlioz PLAYLIST (references recordings): ruclips.net/video/hxmWnkCUyw4/видео.html
The death of Ataülfo Argenta at the age of forty-three is all the more tragic because it resulted from an unnecessary and stupid accident. Colorful and inventive stories have been told about the circumstances of his death in January 1958, but the truth is unfortunately very simple. One evening during a harsh winter in northern Spain, Argenta and a student decided to study in the composer's study, which was detached from the main part of the house and located above the garage. Since the room was cold, Argenta suggested that until it warmed up, he and his companion should sit in his car. In the closed garage, with the car's engine running, neither of them was aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. The student lost consciousness but was revived, while Argenta died. These stark facts are all the more poignant because Argenta was then destined for greater achievements in his career. Just weeks before his death, he confided to a journalist his plans for the future and added that, since conductors generally reach a reasonable age, he had plenty of time to achieve his ambitions. In reality, his career lasted barely a dozen years. Argenta was born in 1913 in Castro-Urdiales, a fishing village on the northern coast of Spain. His musical talent was initially focused on piano study. He won the first prize for piano at the Madrid Conservatory at the age of seventeen. After a year of further study in Belgium, he returned to his country where he pursued a more than respectable local career as a pianist. But as he sought to broaden his horizons, he moved with his young family to Kassel, Germany, to continue his studies, which he financed with his earnings as a pianist. There, he met and befriended Carl Schuricht, who recognized Argenta's potential for conducting and encouraged him in that direction. With the war, living conditions deteriorating, Argenta returned to Spain. He was already thirty-two years old, but his conducting career quickly took off. He joined the National Orchestra in 1945 as a pianist, and then, after a few months, conducted the orchestra. He founded the Madrid Chamber Orchestra in 1946. His reputation grew so quickly that he was appointed musical director of the National Orchestra at the beginning of 1947. A shortage of conductors in Spain multiplied his opportunities, and soon he received invitations to perform abroad. He gained a good reputation in Paris, where he conducted the Conservatoire Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Radio France. He worked closely with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Orchestra. He also conducted the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He made a strong impression on Ernest Ansermet, the aging musical director and founder of the orchestra, who quickly saw Argenta as his natural successor. Audiences and critics were impressed by the energy, rhythmic vitality, and expressive power of the Spanish conductor. With a long and imposing figure on the podium, with precise and firm gestures, he demanded a lot from his orchestras, always displaying discipline and a high level of professionalism, without ever showing his Latin temperament. Erik Smith, the producer of the Berlioz recording, reported how the orchestra was disturbed by an interruption during the session. In contrast, the conductor did not let the incident disrupt his concentration. Argenta's links with France and its music are particularly close. Parisian orchestras gave him his first significant opportunities to perform outside of Spain, and he remained loyal to them throughout his short career. He was deeply moved by French music, so much so that French composers often appeared on the programs of his concerts. Given this deep affinity, it is less surprising than it may seem that DECCA asked a Spanish conductor to record a French work, Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. Argenta had a natural and unparalleled intuition for Spanish music. However, he preferred not to be considered a specialist and developed a vast repertoire including composers as diverse as Purcell, Prokofiev, Mahler, Stravinsky, or Berg. He made his first recordings in the late forties. His discography, very full for such a short career, is dominated by a series of about fifty zarzuelas. In Spain, his popularity was more akin to that of a popular star than that of a conductor. His death was felt as a national disaster. At his funeral, a silent crowd lined the sidewalks as the procession passed slowly by. An imposing statue of Argenta now dominates Castro-Urdiales, the conductor's birthplace. Berlioz: Les Nuits d'été & Ravel: Shéhérazade by Régine Crespin 🎧 Qobuz bit.ly/3Mye1SS Tidal bit.ly/3MCqKDZ 🎧 Apple Music apple.co/43SG5aD Deezer bit.ly/42aukLs 🎧 Amazon Music amzn.to/3MBOesV Spotify spoti.fi/3OJpL7S 🎧 RUclips Music bit.ly/426cE3H 🎧 Naspter, Pandora, Anghami, QQ音乐, LineMusic日本, Awa日本...
Literarisch fantastische und wunderschöne Interpretation dieser fünfsätzigen und perfekt komponierten Sinfonie mit farbenprächtigen doch perfekt entsprechenden Tönen aller Instrumente. Der vierte Satz klingt echt bedrohlich und auch dramatisch. Der intelligente und geniale Drigent leitet das ausgezeichnete Orchester im lebhaften Tempo und mit möglichst effektiver Dynamik. Die verbesserte Klangqualität ist auch erstaunlich hoch als eine Originalaufnahme von siebenundsechzig Jahren vor. Alles ist wunderbar!
The circumstances surrounding Argenta's premature death as explained here differ slightly from the facts. The girl with him in his mountain cottage that winter night was his piano student and lover, Sylvie Mercier, French heiress to the Cointreau liquor company. When they arrived, the house was cold and they decided to stay in the car, inside the garage, while the fireplace heated on the house. Unluckily they got intoxicated with the carbon monoxide from the car exhaust and Argenta died, probably because he had suffered tuberculosis recently and his lungs were weakened. Mrs. Mercier was found unconscious but survived. The whole thing was quickly covered by the authorities as Argenta was a well-known figure in the Franco regime. The surving documents in the local court that investigated the events give even today a clear idea of what happened that night. Former Madrid Major, Manuela Carmena, was for a long time the judge at El Escorial court (the one in charge of the case) and she herself handed over copies of the investigation to Argenta's family. Moreover, Sylvie Mercier confirmed the events to Argenta's own grand-daughter when she was writing her grandfather's biography. That said, Argenta was simply unbelievably outstanding. Spain has since produced excellent conductors but six decades after his passing I think no one has reached to his genius. We will have to wait a bit more... This Symphonie Fantastique is exquisitely lyrical, musical, detailed and powerful in the last movements. Truly he was amongst the best conductors in the world at the time, probably in the top 3-4. A cold house and a car cut short what was called to be perhaps the best world conducting career in the second half of XX century.
There seems to be many “reference” recordings around. I well remember Argenta (I am that old) the only reference Fantastique recordings for me is Beecham 1st. Munch, Orchestre de Paris.1967. 2nd. And Tilson Thomas.
Album available // Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique by Ataúlfo Argenta
🎧 Qobuz (Hi-Res) bit.ly/42OSHAo Tidal (Hi-Res) bit.ly/3I123iH
🎧 Apple Music (Lossless) apple.co/3uCuII5 Deezer (Hi-Fi) bit.ly/3I47vkQ
🎧 Amazon Music (Hi-Res) amzn.to/3usU62T Spotify (mp3) spoti.fi/3SZZjZj
🎧 RUclips Music (mp4) bit.ly/3UInD2X
🔊 Download the album (Hi-Res MASTER - WAV uncompressed) cutt.ly/Classical-Music-Reference-Recording-Website-Argenta
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, H 48
00:00 I. Rêveries, Passions: Largo, Allegro agitato e appassionato assai, Religiosamente
12:47 II. Un Bal: Valse. Allegro non troppo
19:11 III. Scène aux Champs: Adagio
34:41 IV. Marche au Supplice: Allegretto non troppo
41:09 V. Songe d’une nuit de Sabbat: Larghetto, Allegro
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Conductor: Ataúlfo Argenta
Recorded in 1957, at Paris
New mastering in 2024 by AB for CMRR
🔊 Join us with your phone on our WhatsApp fanpage (our latest album preview): cutt.ly/5eathESK
🔊 Find our entire catalog on Qobuz: cutt.ly/geathMhL
🔊 Discover our playlists on Spotify: cutt.ly/ceatjtlB
❤ Support us on Patreon www.patreon.com/cmrr/about
The death of Ataülfo Argenta at the age of forty-three is all the more tragic because it resulted from an unnecessary and stupid accident. Colorful and inventive stories have been told about the circumstances of his death in January 1958, but the truth is unfortunately very simple. One evening during a harsh winter in northern Spain, Argenta and a student decided to study in the composer's study, which was detached from the main part of the house and located above the garage. Since the room was cold, Argenta suggested that until it warmed up, he and his companion should sit in his car. In the closed garage, with the car's engine running, neither of them was aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. The student lost consciousness but was revived, while Argenta died. These stark facts are all the more poignant because Argenta was then destined for greater achievements in his career. Just weeks before his death, he confided to a journalist his plans for the future and added that, since conductors generally reach a reasonable age, he had plenty of time to achieve his ambitions. In reality, his career lasted barely a dozen years.
Argenta was born in 1913 in Castro-Urdiales, a fishing village on the northern coast of Spain. His musical talent was initially focused on piano study. He won the first prize for piano at the Madrid Conservatory at the age of seventeen. After a year of further study in Belgium, he returned to his country where he pursued a more than respectable local career as a pianist. But as he sought to broaden his horizons, he moved with his young family to Kassel, Germany, to continue his studies, which he financed with his earnings as a pianist. There, he met and befriended Carl Schuricht, who recognized Argenta's potential for conducting and encouraged him in that direction.
With the war, living conditions deteriorating, Argenta returned to Spain. He was already thirty-two years old, but his conducting career quickly took off. He joined the National Orchestra in 1945 as a pianist, and then, after a few months, conducted the orchestra. He founded the Madrid Chamber Orchestra in 1946. His reputation grew so quickly that he was appointed musical director of the National Orchestra at the beginning of 1947. A shortage of conductors in Spain multiplied his opportunities, and soon he received invitations to perform abroad. He gained a good reputation in Paris, where he conducted the Conservatoire Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Radio France. He worked closely with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Orchestra. He also conducted the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He made a strong impression on Ernest Ansermet, the aging musical director and founder of the orchestra, who quickly saw Argenta as his natural successor. Audiences and critics were impressed by the energy, rhythmic vitality, and expressive power of the Spanish conductor. With a long and imposing figure on the podium, with precise and firm gestures, he demanded a lot from his orchestras, always displaying discipline and a high level of professionalism, without ever showing his Latin temperament. Erik Smith, the producer of the Berlioz recording, reported how the orchestra was disturbed by an interruption during the session. In contrast, the conductor did not let the incident disrupt his concentration.
Argenta's links with France and its music are particularly close. Parisian orchestras gave him his first significant opportunities to perform outside of Spain, and he remained loyal to them throughout his short career. He was deeply moved by French music, so much so that French composers often appeared on the programs of his concerts. Given this deep affinity, it is less surprising than it may seem that DECCA asked a Spanish conductor to record a French work, Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique.
Argenta had a natural and unparalleled intuition for Spanish music. However, he preferred not to be considered a specialist and developed a vast repertoire including composers as diverse as Purcell, Prokofiev, Mahler, Stravinsky, or Berg. He made his first recordings in the late forties. His discography, very full for such a short career, is dominated by a series of about fifty zarzuelas. In Spain, his popularity was more akin to that of a popular star than that of a conductor. His death was felt as a national disaster. At his funeral, a silent crowd lined the sidewalks as the procession passed slowly by. An imposing statue of Argenta now dominates Castro-Urdiales, the conductor's birthplace.
Berlioz: Les Nuits d'été & Ravel: Shéhérazade by Régine Crespin
🎧 Qobuz bit.ly/3Mye1SS Tidal bit.ly/3MCqKDZ
🎧 Apple Music apple.co/43SG5aD Deezer bit.ly/42aukLs
🎧 Amazon Music amzn.to/3MBOesV Spotify spoti.fi/3OJpL7S
🎧 RUclips Music bit.ly/426cE3H
🎧 Naspter, Pandora, Anghami, QQ音乐, LineMusic日本, Awa日本...
Hector Berlioz PLAYLIST (references recordings): ruclips.net/video/hxmWnkCUyw4/видео.html
The death of Ataülfo Argenta at the age of forty-three is all the more tragic because it resulted from an unnecessary and stupid accident. Colorful and inventive stories have been told about the circumstances of his death in January 1958, but the truth is unfortunately very simple. One evening during a harsh winter in northern Spain, Argenta and a student decided to study in the composer's study, which was detached from the main part of the house and located above the garage. Since the room was cold, Argenta suggested that until it warmed up, he and his companion should sit in his car. In the closed garage, with the car's engine running, neither of them was aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. The student lost consciousness but was revived, while Argenta died. These stark facts are all the more poignant because Argenta was then destined for greater achievements in his career. Just weeks before his death, he confided to a journalist his plans for the future and added that, since conductors generally reach a reasonable age, he had plenty of time to achieve his ambitions. In reality, his career lasted barely a dozen years.
Argenta was born in 1913 in Castro-Urdiales, a fishing village on the northern coast of Spain. His musical talent was initially focused on piano study. He won the first prize for piano at the Madrid Conservatory at the age of seventeen. After a year of further study in Belgium, he returned to his country where he pursued a more than respectable local career as a pianist. But as he sought to broaden his horizons, he moved with his young family to Kassel, Germany, to continue his studies, which he financed with his earnings as a pianist. There, he met and befriended Carl Schuricht, who recognized Argenta's potential for conducting and encouraged him in that direction.
With the war, living conditions deteriorating, Argenta returned to Spain. He was already thirty-two years old, but his conducting career quickly took off. He joined the National Orchestra in 1945 as a pianist, and then, after a few months, conducted the orchestra. He founded the Madrid Chamber Orchestra in 1946. His reputation grew so quickly that he was appointed musical director of the National Orchestra at the beginning of 1947. A shortage of conductors in Spain multiplied his opportunities, and soon he received invitations to perform abroad. He gained a good reputation in Paris, where he conducted the Conservatoire Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Radio France. He worked closely with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Orchestra. He also conducted the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He made a strong impression on Ernest Ansermet, the aging musical director and founder of the orchestra, who quickly saw Argenta as his natural successor. Audiences and critics were impressed by the energy, rhythmic vitality, and expressive power of the Spanish conductor. With a long and imposing figure on the podium, with precise and firm gestures, he demanded a lot from his orchestras, always displaying discipline and a high level of professionalism, without ever showing his Latin temperament. Erik Smith, the producer of the Berlioz recording, reported how the orchestra was disturbed by an interruption during the session. In contrast, the conductor did not let the incident disrupt his concentration.
Argenta's links with France and its music are particularly close. Parisian orchestras gave him his first significant opportunities to perform outside of Spain, and he remained loyal to them throughout his short career. He was deeply moved by French music, so much so that French composers often appeared on the programs of his concerts. Given this deep affinity, it is less surprising than it may seem that DECCA asked a Spanish conductor to record a French work, Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique.
Argenta had a natural and unparalleled intuition for Spanish music. However, he preferred not to be considered a specialist and developed a vast repertoire including composers as diverse as Purcell, Prokofiev, Mahler, Stravinsky, or Berg. He made his first recordings in the late forties. His discography, very full for such a short career, is dominated by a series of about fifty zarzuelas. In Spain, his popularity was more akin to that of a popular star than that of a conductor. His death was felt as a national disaster. At his funeral, a silent crowd lined the sidewalks as the procession passed slowly by. An imposing statue of Argenta now dominates Castro-Urdiales, the conductor's birthplace.
Berlioz: Les Nuits d'été & Ravel: Shéhérazade by Régine Crespin
🎧 Qobuz bit.ly/3Mye1SS Tidal bit.ly/3MCqKDZ
🎧 Apple Music apple.co/43SG5aD Deezer bit.ly/42aukLs
🎧 Amazon Music amzn.to/3MBOesV Spotify spoti.fi/3OJpL7S
🎧 RUclips Music bit.ly/426cE3H
🎧 Naspter, Pandora, Anghami, QQ音乐, LineMusic日本, Awa日本...
Literarisch fantastische und wunderschöne Interpretation dieser fünfsätzigen und perfekt komponierten Sinfonie mit farbenprächtigen doch perfekt entsprechenden Tönen aller Instrumente. Der vierte Satz klingt echt bedrohlich und auch dramatisch. Der intelligente und geniale Drigent leitet das ausgezeichnete Orchester im lebhaften Tempo und mit möglichst effektiver Dynamik. Die verbesserte Klangqualität ist auch erstaunlich hoch als eine Originalaufnahme von siebenundsechzig Jahren vor. Alles ist wunderbar!
Merci pour cette très belle interprétation remastérisée.
I like it very much - TY
Très belle interprétation !
The circumstances surrounding Argenta's premature death as explained here differ slightly from the facts.
The girl with him in his mountain cottage that winter night was his piano student and lover, Sylvie Mercier, French heiress to the Cointreau liquor company. When they arrived, the house was cold and they decided to stay in the car, inside the garage, while the fireplace heated on the house. Unluckily they got intoxicated with the carbon monoxide from the car exhaust and Argenta died, probably because he had suffered tuberculosis recently and his lungs were weakened. Mrs. Mercier was found unconscious but survived.
The whole thing was quickly covered by the authorities as Argenta was a well-known figure in the Franco regime. The surving documents in the local court that investigated the events give even today a clear idea of what happened that night.
Former Madrid Major, Manuela Carmena, was for a long time the judge at El Escorial court (the one in charge of the case) and she herself handed over copies of the investigation to Argenta's family. Moreover, Sylvie Mercier confirmed the events to Argenta's own grand-daughter when she was writing her grandfather's biography.
That said, Argenta was simply unbelievably outstanding. Spain has since produced excellent conductors but six decades after his passing I think no one has reached to his genius. We will have to wait a bit more...
This Symphonie Fantastique is exquisitely lyrical, musical, detailed and powerful in the last movements. Truly he was amongst the best conductors in the world at the time, probably in the top 3-4. A cold house and a car cut short what was called to be perhaps the best world conducting career in the second half of XX century.
12:47 …💖💖
There seems to be many “reference” recordings around. I well remember Argenta (I am that old) the only reference Fantastique recordings for me is Beecham 1st. Munch, Orchestre de Paris.1967. 2nd. And Tilson Thomas.
Anothers good ones are Klemperer/Philharmonia and Dutoit/Montreal 😉
Thank you, I have not heard Dutoit, I shall have a listen. The Klemperer I Havn’t heard for years, must listen again as well.
Hi, is there a way to download these recordings?
Yes, with a youtube MP3 tool
🔊 Download the album (Hi-Res MASTER - WAV uncompressed) cutt.ly/Classical-Music-Reference-Recording-Website-Argenta
❤
드보르작의 신세계로부터는 에스터반 케르테즈의 직관이 가장 훌륭하며
아타울포 아르젠타의 베를리오즈 판타스티끄는 그와 같다.
덕분에 이 모르던 뛰어난 예술가를 만났네요