In early June 2023, Daniel Barenboim conducted this French program in the Berlin Philharmonie; it was a concert that inspired the present recording for DG. In 2024 we celebrate the great French composer Gabriel Fauré 100 years after he died with this recording of the incidental music for ‘Pelléas et Mélisande’. Almost 50 years after his first DG recording of Franck's symphony with the Orchestre de Paris, Barenboim now presents a new interpretation with the Berliner Philharmoniker. In the outer movements in particular, he focuses on the large, monumental sound that emphasizes the hymnal aspect of Franck's symphony which fuses the spirit of Beethoven with French elegance. Barenboim and the a Berliner Philharmoniker understand each other perfectly.

The two have a longstanding friendship: the maestro made his debut as a pianist here 60 years ago and conducted his first concert with the world-class Berlin orchestra in 1969. In this recording, conductor and orchestra are joined by Albrecht Meyer (oboe), Emanuel Pahud (flute) and Dominik Wollenweber (cor anglais).

César Franck - Symphony in D Minor, CFF 130

1: I. Lento - Allegro non troppo (Original Version)I. Lento - Allegro non troppo (Original Version)

2: II. Allegretto (Original Version)II. Allegretto (Original Version)

3: III. Allegro non troppo (Original Version)III. Allegro non troppo (Original Version)

Gabriel Fauré - Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.80

4: I. Prélude. Quasi adagio (Original Version)I. Prélude. Quasi adagio (Original Version)

5: II. Fileuse. Andantino quasi allegretto (Original Version)II. Fileuse. Andantino quasi allegretto (Original Version)

6: III. Sicilienne. Allegretto molto moderato (Original Version)III. Sicilienne. Allegretto molto moderato (Original Version)

7: IV. La mort de Mélisande. Molto adagio (Original Version)IV. La mort de Mélisande. Molto adagio (Original Version)