This Chesky Records release pairs two of Romanticism's most visionary orchestral works, recorded with warm, detailed acoustics. Richard Strauss's "Don Juan" is a portrait of passion in music—seventeen minutes of surging emotion, delicate counterpoint, and virtuosic orchestration that showcases the full palette of a modern symphony orchestra. Hector Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique," a revolutionary work from 1830, is a programmatic symphony telling the story of an artist's obsession through five movements. The iconic idée fixe theme weaves through movements of passion, a country dance, a ball, a witches' sabbath, and nightmare visions. Both pieces demand technically accomplished orchestras and imaginative conducting. Chesky's engineering captures both works with excellent clarity and presence. Revelatory for listeners interested in how Romantic composers stretched orchestral boundaries.