The Complete Berlioz Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon [10 CD]

Daniel Barenboim first came to Berlioz to understand Wagner more fully. This immersion in Berlioz led to the important series of recordings with the Orchestre de Paris presented in this set. From 1975 until 1989, Barenboim was music director of the Orchestre de Paris and this exploration of Berlioz became one of the most significant collections of the composer’s major works performed by French musicians under a single conductor. Throughout this survey, Barenboim demonstrates the value of using thoroughly idiomatic French choral and orchestral forces, and together with the Orchestre de Paris, relishes the inventiveness of Berlioz’ orchestration. In the operatic pieces, Barenboim calls on distinguished international soloists Placido Domingo, Jessye Norman and Kiri Te Kanawa for some of the most celebrated recordings of these works.