Academic Festival

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Jiri Belohlavek

2. Tragic Overture, in D minor, Op. 81
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Jiri Belohlavek

3. Academic Festival Overture, for orchestra in C minor ("Akademische Festouvertüre"), Op. 80
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Jiri Belohlavek

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: I. Un poco sostenuto - Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: II. Adante sostenuto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: III. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: IV. Adagio - Piu adante - Allegro non troppo ma con brio

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: I. Allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: II. Adagio non troppo
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: III. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andantino) - Presto ma non assai
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: IV. Allegro con Spirito
Tragic Overture, Op. 81

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: I. Allegro con brio - Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: II. Andante - Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: III. Poco allegretto - Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: IV. Allegro - Johannes Brahms
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80 - Johannes Brahms

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: I. Allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: II. Andante moderato
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: III. Allegro giocoso
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: IV. Allegro energico e passionato

Customer Reviews:

Good but not memorable for me.......2007-05-17

I purchased this cycle with eager anticipation but was frankly disappointed when I opened up the set and popped it in my stereo. I love the CSO/Solti sound (esp the brass section) as much as anybody but I am disappointed with the energy, balance, and precision of entrances and note lengths. If you want a great set, buy the HSO/Eschenbach!

Brahms symphonies.......2006-11-07

I'll make this simple. If your interested in a great set of the four Brahms symphonies pick this up immediately. Great sound(late analogue warmth), terrific performances(Solti and Chicago are sturdy as always), and an extremely low price.

This set has several distinct advantages over some of the others out there. For starters each symphony occupies its own cd. Sounds simple enough but I'm quickly tiring of sets that split up symphonies under 80 minutes long just to pack each cd to the brink. Nothing's worse than having a complete symphony and half of another on one cd and the other half of the second symphony on disc number 2. No sense switching discs to listen to one work unless that work is over 80 mintues long(ie- Mahler). I'm also getting sick of sets that couple insequential symphonies together to fill up discs(ie- symphonies number 1 and 4 on one disc). I like to listen in sequential order.

This set allows that. One symphony per disc. Discs two and three each have an overture to fill up some time and that's fine since both are after the symphony. How about Abbado and others putting these overtures and other 'bonus' works _before_ the main attraction? What's that about?

I mentioned it early but the price issue is also huge. Sure, you could buy Abbado's Berlin set which is great but be ready to shell out over $120(!) on Amazon. You'll get a couple of additional short works with that set but come on. Is it worth another $100 or so? Your call but I'd say no way.
Pick this up for around $20 and be assured that your getting quality Brahms at a great price.

sloppy.......2006-02-28

It's sloppy. Interpretation not well thought through. Solti is a well known name, but I wasn't impressed. It sounds uninspired. Check out a different set of the Brahms' symphonies.

One of Solti's better recordings in Chicago.......2005-10-14

This Brahms Symphonies set with Sir Georg Solti/Chicago Symphony is one of Solti's better recordings in Chicago. Recorded in 1979, just before the Digital age and technology took over, these are beautiful, smooth and creamy recordings with rich bass and nice mid range. Solti is intense but never driven, and he knows just how much intensity to put into Brahms without over-driving him and making the music become melodramatic or vulgar. The sound London's engineers got in these recordings is better than for the Solti/Chicago Beethoven Symphonies recorded earlier that decade, 1972-74.

The Chicago Symphony under Solti was "HOT" in recording sales during the 1970s. I was in college from 1977-81, and all the brass and woodwind players raved about Chicago's recordings of Strauss, Mahler, and other composers which were currently being released. I especially recall a flute player who was estatic because she received three Solti/Chicago LPs for Christmas gifts one year. The brass and woodwinds are often emphasized in many Solti/Chicago recordings, with the strings less prominent than some orchestras; but here the balance is very equal where needed, and the brass do yeoman service in the passages most needed, such as the running figures at the end of Symphony 2:IV.

Solti does take alot of repeats, especially in Symphony 2:I, which makes this movement several minutes longer than most recordings. And he isn't afraid to take his time - tempos aren't too fast, and never feel driven: not always the case in a Solti recording. I of Symphony 1 and Symphony 3 also have repeats, thus making these movements longer than in recordings of Bruno Walter or George Szell.

The companion works, Academic Festival Overture and Tragic Overture are also excellent in every way, recalling Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony (Sony), who recorded these works in stereo 20 years before Solti/Chicago.

Very good.......2005-03-18

This is the Brahms Symphonies set to get. Every performance is great, and the sound is pretty high quality. I do not notice any problems with the acoustics. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

great series

The Story Of Brahms

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001KDB
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat Major, Op. 83: Allegro appassionato
Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 83: Rondo
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: Adagio non troppo
Serenade, Op. 106: No. 1
Violin Concerto in D Major. Op. 77: Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: Allegro con spirito
Capriccio in B Minor, Op. 76: No. 2
Hungarian Dance No. 6 in D-flat Major
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Andante sostenuto
Piano Concerto No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 15: Maestoso
Lullaby, Op. 49: No. 4
Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor
Variations On A Theme By Paganini, Op. 35: Book II
Rinaldo, Op. 50
Waltz in A-flat Major, Op. 39: No. 15
Love Song Waltzes, Op. 52: No. 1
Hungarian Dance No. 5 in F-sharp Major
Variations on a Theme by Haydn: Op. 56a
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Excerpts
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: Allegro non troppo
Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 77: Op. 77
Academic Festival Overture: Op. 80
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major: Allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: Allegro
Clarinet Quintet In B Minor, Op. 115: Allegro
Tragic Overture: Op. 81
Academic Festival Overture: Op. 80
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 1 in G Minor
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 2 in F Major
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 10 in E Major
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 5 in F-sharp Major
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 6 in D-flat Major
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 7 in A Major
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 17 in F-sharp Minor
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 19 in B Minor
9 Hungarian Dances: No. 21 in E Minor

Customer Reviews:

great series.......2007-01-10

This CD along with the others in the series is very good. So far we have collected about ten different ones. They are thorough and interesting. I homeschool and it has been a great additon to our teaching materials and tools. The narrarated history format interspersed with the composer's music is key to keeping the interest of the children. A must-have for introducing classical music with historical background to your kids and at a great price on Amazon!

EMI Great Recordings of Century - Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4/Klemperer

Average customer rating:

no kidding
Not sure what all the fuss is about.
Five stars +
Karajan or Klemperer in Brahms?
My deserted island pick

EMI Great Recordings of Century - Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4/Klemperer
Johannes Brahms , Philharmonia Orchestra , Christa Ludwig , Philharmonia Chorus , and Otto Klemperer
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Leon Fleisher Plays Brahms

ASIN: B0001O3Y8A
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Thema: Chorale St. Antoni
Variation I (Poco Piu Animato)
Variation II (Piu Vivace)
Variation III (Con Moto)
Variation IV (Andante Con Moto)
Variation V (Vivace)
Variation VI (Vivace)
Variation VII ( Grazioso)
Variation VIII (Presto Non Troppo)
Finale (Andante)
I: Un Poco Sostenuto - Allegro
II: Andante Sostenuto
III: Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
IV: Adagio - Piu Andante - Allegro Non Troppo Ma Con Brio

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Adagio Non Troppo
III: Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto Ma Non Assai
IV: Allegro Con Spirito
I: Allegro Con Brio - Un Poco Sostenuto
II: Andante
III: Poco Allegretto
IV: Allegro - Un Poco Sostenuto

Tracks:

Academic Festival Overture Op. 80
Tragic Overture Op. 81
Alto Rhapsody Op. 53
I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Andante Moderato
III: Allegro Giocoso - Poco Meno Presto
IV: Allegro Energico E Passionato - Piu Allegro

Customer Reviews:

no kidding.......2007-07-06

this IS the best brahms set in the market. honesly, as much as i love klemperer, i was pretty surprised by the amount of tension he managed to retain throughout this studio recording - something the greatest conductors often couldn't do.
To me, and i do not seem to be alone in this regard, the gem of the set is the fourth symphony. It is here that Klemperer simply out does Celibidache, Toscanini, and Furtwangler. The passacaglia is imbued with a sense of inevitability - i was completely taken aback by the impact of the climax. The relationship between the variations was so perfectly thought out that after this recording every other passacaglia seems inconsequential. Furtwangler might have imbued each passage with more fire, but even his profound insight is cursory compared to what Klemperer manages to convey.
Klemperer's supreme sense of architecture and drama also churns out an inimitable Academic Overture, which is also simply the most stunning and satisfying account I have ever heard. While in the beginning the orchestra might not seem completely synchronized, such misgivings are done away with by the time the last theme, the climax, is performed.
the rest are also similarly great, although owing the Furtwangler, Klemperer's first symphony doesn't top the rest of the competition like the other symphonies do.
there are a few records out there that i would call definitive - but this brahms set is the closest ever.

Not sure what all the fuss is about........2006-09-15

For me this set of Brahms is ho-hum. It is average, but nothing special. I feel the same way about Herbert von Kajaran's interpretation of Brahms. Brahms is without a doubt my favorite composer and I have heard many versions of his symphonies. For my tastes, the London Philharmonic's sound has always been too thin for Brahms. The only time I liked the London Philharmonic performing Brahms was Antal Dorati's set on Mercury Living Presence.
I prefer the rich and warm sound of the Berlin Philharmonic. The set of symphonies that Claudio Abbado released on DG in the 1990's has taken top honors for me. Most of the previous traversals with the Berliners (i.e. von Karajan) have taken the tempos too slow for my tastes.
As far as I'm concerned you can do much better elsewhere: Abbado, Szell, and Dorati - heck even Bruno Walter's set with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra is better than this presentation.

Five stars +.......2005-11-14

Klemperer is one of my favourites, probably because I got to know Mahler through him. For me this is the best Brahms symphonies cycle yet. The tempos are well judged as always and the Philharmonia at top form as always under Klemperer. I feel that the 4th is the gem of this cycle unsurpassed in every aspect. Along with the German Requiem again with Klempeper and the Philharmonia I find these CDs the best Brahms orchestral music on the market.

Karajan or Klemperer in Brahms?.......2005-09-29

Otto Klempeerer owes his late career in London and on EMI records to von Karajan. Since its founding in 1949, the Philharmonia Orch. was closely allied with Karajan, who built it up as his own career took off after the war. But when Furtwangler died in 1954 and his arch-rvial Karajan took over the Berlin Phil., the impressario of the Philharmonia, Walter Legge, knew that he neeeded a new stellar conductor or his orchestra would fail. He chose Klemperer, then almost forgotten and already past 65 when he made his initial appearances in London in 1951.

Legge's gamble paid off. Klemperer became the darling of London critics and audiences, and his performance style--measured, serious, with impeccable integrity--became the standard in Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Brahms. He cared little for beauty of osund, smooth phrasing, or stylistic refinement. Words like "granitic" and "primordial" were used regularly.

Is he the antithesis of Karajan, who valued everything that Klemperer disdained? Listening to these Brahms symphony recordings in improved sound, I think the Klemperer vs. Karajan debate isn't all that valid. These four symphonies aren't granitic or primordial, nor are they particularly slow. In fact, the first movement of the Second moves lightly, as does the finale of the Fourth. If anything, Karajan's presentation is more massive and imposing in every symphony. The main difference begins with Klemperer's steady pace, which he tends to hold without allowing the phrase to be molded as flexibly as Karajan.

Karajan made two complete Brahms cycles for DG, the latter in digital sound. He was undoubtedly a great Brahms conductor, but so was Klemperer. Here the Philharmonia sounds sharp and alert and not very big in number, while Karajan's Berlin forces sound sumptuous and huge.

These two giants had no peer in Brahms from the death of Toscanini to the present day, excepting occasional recordings by Giulini, Bernstein, and perhaps in today's market, Harnoncourt. Some would also rank bruno Walter's two Brahms cycles at this exalted level, but for me only the mono one with the NY Phil., now available on a Sony import, qualifies, and besides the inadequate sonics, the orchestra does not play as beautifully as what we hear in this set. It's great to have Klemperer's classic set, which is totally free of eccentricity, back in such good sound. Five stars without a doubt.

My deserted island pick.......2005-06-20

If I had to go to that deserted island, I would be in doubt of which of these 3 CDs to take with me. I have perhaps 500 classical CDs, but this box stands out. I am not going to write very much, however: Brahms is my favourite composer. Brahms was Klemperer's favourite composer. His conducting is perfect all the way. These are so-called slow interpretations, i.e. compared to Toscanini and Walter, but not slow compared to, say Abbado; I think these tempos are perfectly suited to bring out the richness of the texture. The result I will describe as civilized, human, warm, even hot, dramatic, strictly to the point, even sharp, although there are sharper interpretations out there, but they don't got the same lyrical intensity as Klemperer's.

Leonard Bernstein Conducts Brahms (Collectors Edition)

Average customer rating:

Brahms Symphony No. 3
Great Performances, Okay Sound, Great Selections!
Bernstein's Riveting Brahms Symphonies and more with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Leonard Bernstein Conducts Brahms (Collectors Edition)

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0001WGDXA
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Customer Reviews:

Brahms Symphony No. 3.......2007-07-23

I just heard the third movement on Internet radio and it is just about perfect. No tempo issues, lines flowing smoothly from instrument to instrument. It's the most expressive I've ever heard. Just heartbreakingly beautiful.

I'm buying it today. This is the Brahms interpretation I want my kids to grow up listening to.

Great Performances, Okay Sound, Great Selections!.......2006-07-28

Brahms has always been one of my favourite composers and Bernstein and the Vienna PO have done an excellent interpretation of all his Symphonies and especially of the Violin and Double Concerti. The sound quality for a live recording is also quite okay and this is especially so of the last disc which contains the Concerti.

The packaging of a cardboard box which holds the paper sleeves which house the 5 discs is also nice to behold. You also get a nice 16-page booklet with an essay on Brahms written by Bernstein himself.

I was amused to also discover that when it comes to Brahms' symphonies, it appears the 3rd movements are charms when it comes to "borrowing" the melodies for pop/rock tunes too. The progressive rock band, Yes, have openly used the 3rd movement of the 4th one as one of the tracks on their wildly successful album, "Fragile" while if you listen closely to the one from the 3rd Symphony, you'll realise that Santana totally ripped off the melody for the second track on his "Supernatural" album, "Love of My Life" with Dave Matthews. At least Yes had the decency to give the credit to Brahms when they did it though.

This box set though comes highly recommended.

Bernstein's Riveting Brahms Symphonies and more with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.......2005-09-09

Leonard Bernstein has been praised and condemned by musical critics who have examined his unique, distinctive style of conducting. Along with Herbert von Karajan, Bernstein was probably among the two finest music directors of his generation; critics have thoroughly compared and contrasted Bernstein's emotional approach with Karajan's stern, almost business-like approach to conducting. Regardless of whether or not you may love Bernstein's style of conducting, he is still revered and loved by his harshest critics, the musicians who enjoyed playing for him as members of some of the world's greatest symphony orchestras. For example, I had the pleasure of meeting one of the Vienna Philharmonic's concertmasters last March here in New York City, hearing his lavish praise of Bernstein as both a musician and person. He still regarded Bernstein as one of his favorite conductors, viewing their concerts as among the highlights in his own noteworthy career as solo violinist and concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

The enthusiasm and admiration which the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra had for its favorite American conductor is present in this splendid Deutsche Grammophon collection which has been compiled recently from the original digital recordings made during live concerts held in the early 1980s. Among these are one of my favorite recordings of the Brahms 2nd Symphony, which is a lush, lovely reading of Brahms' most pastoral symphony, and a valid interpretation inspite of Bernstein's tendency for slower tempi. Similarly, the other three symphony recordings are splendid in their own right, with the brooding 1st Symphony a mesmerizing, exciting performance. I strongly recomend this CD collection as a fine example of Bernstein still conducting at the height of his artistic powers, demonstrating the excellent collaboration between the conductor and his favorite European orchestra. Without question, this remains one of the best Brahms symphony cycles available to discerning collectors and novices of classical music alike.

Average customer rating:

Not good, not bad, just generic
Beautiful orchestra, but Muti conducts from an easy chair
Muti delivers
Bargain Brahms from a Great Brahms Orchestra

Brahms: Complete Symphonies
Brahms , Philadelphia Orchestra , and Riccardo Muti
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Beethoven: Complete Symphonies

ASIN: B000065TV5
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Un Poco Sostenuto - Allegro - Mano Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 63: Andante Sostenuto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 63: Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 63: Adagio - Piu Andante - Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Brio
Variations For Orchestra In B Flat Major On A Theme By Joseph Haydn Op. 56A

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: Allegro Non Troppo
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: Aagio Non Troppo - L'Istesso Tempo, Ma Grazioso
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto Ma Non Assai - Tempo 1
Symphony No. 2 In D Major, Op. 73: Allegro Con Spirito
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
Tragic Overture, Op. 81

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: Allegro Con Brio
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: Andante
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: Poco Allegretto
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90: Allegro
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: Allegro Non Troppo
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: Andante Moderato
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: Allegro Giocoso - Poco Meno Presto - Tempo 1
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: Allegro Energico E Pissionato - Piu Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Not good, not bad, just generic.......2007-07-02

I concur with Santa Fe Listener on this one...this is classic Muti, preferring not to take any chances, remaining true to his belief that the composer, rather than the conductor, should do the talking. While his performances don't have the same creepily synthetic quality of later Karajan, nonetheless it has the generic, all-the-notes-in-right-place flavor which makes it all too easy to forget after a short time.

As a cycle, it is nicely affordable & certainly doesn't run roughshod over the music, so it at least has got that going for it. I guess it would a good starter set for the novice, but for anyone already familiar with these symphonies, there are far better sets (my own personal preference is Walter) from which to choose.

Beautiful orchestra, but Muti conducts from an easy chair.......2006-11-26

Listeners form their own allegiances, but I'm shockeed that early reviewers think that Muti has made a first-rate Brahms cycle. It's certainly true that the Philadelphia Orch. sounds gorgeous, but Muti never asks them to stretch. Every single movement is taken at a comfortable pace with underplayed solos and not the slightest hint of real struggle or tension. This is Brahms relegated to assisted living. There are other conductors who take a plush-velvet approach to the Brahms symphonies (Sawallisch and the aging Barbirolli), but without inner drama, these readings get boring veyr fast. Even the push-and-pul of Jochum is preerable. As to the truly great Brahmsians of the stereo era, I will stick with late Walter, Bernstein, Karajan, and when I am in the mood, the ever-tantalizing, ever-frustrating Celibadache.

Muti delivers.......2004-05-22

Muti's recordings of the Brahms symphonies are powerful and sweeping, with good detail and a realistic acoustic. Muti provides his usual (and wonderful) lyricism, which fits most of the pieces very well.

Karajan's First Symphony on DG is more darkly dramatic than Muti's is here (if you like drama -- and drama works for the First -- you might consider Karajan). Muti's performance is anything but slack, however. And Muti gets a better sound than Karajan does from the engineers; Muti's recording is more natural, with nice, open imaging.

For me, Muti's Fourth is bested only by Kleiber's classic interpretation on DG. Kleiber doesn't dip as far into the emotional possibilities of the work as Muti, maybe, but that isn't Kleiber's goal. His Brahms is more classical than Muti's, more Appollonian, and only Kleiber solves all of the Fourth's problems with his extraordinary panache and grace, IMHO. Still, I enjoy Muti's version very much, and if it were my only version I'd be mighty happy with it.

Overall, if you want a very good collection of all four symphonies, Muti and the Philadelphians won't disappoint.

Nutshell: Committed performances and digital sound coupled with a midline price. Very fine.

Bargain Brahms from a Great Brahms Orchestra.......2003-11-13

When this set first came out in the early 90s, I bought the recording of the Second Symphony, which critics thought the strongest of the set. In deference to their judgment I avoided the rest of the recordings until now. I'd always thought the Muti Second a strong one without being absolutely first class, but now, heard in the company of other three symphonies and the Haydn Variations, it emerges even stronger in my estimation. Whereas Ormandy tended to wallow a bit in Brahms, Muti's approach is characteristically leaner without being in the least meaner. In fact, the ripe nostalgia of the Third Symphony, probably nobody's favorite Brahms, comes across wonderfully, as does the high drama of the Fourth, especially given Philips' burnished but impactive sound-those marvelous trombones in the finale! and trumpets and drums in the scherzo! (Not to mention the famous "auto horn" cadence from the Second Symphony finale!) The beauty of the string-and-wind playing is a given with this orchestra. But I think I've never fully appreciated the loveliness of Brahms's writing for woodwinds before hearing this set.

Luckily, though (for example) the Tragic Overture moves along at quite a clip in the faster sections--all the better for it, too, since dawdlin' in this work tends to make it sound maudlin--Muti isn't the juggernaut he often is, glossing over the subtleties along the way. This happens to some extent in his Beethoven, but he really lets Brahms breathe. A case in point is the First Symphony. I thought Muti's reading a bit too static, a bit too granitic on first hearing. But as I've lived with the performance, I've come to believe that Muti fully captures the Olympian grandeur of this best of all first symphonies, as British music critic Bernard Jacobson calls it in his notes to the recording.

Tracks:

Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.68: I. Un Poco Sostenuto - Allegro
Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.68: II. Andante Sostenuto
Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.68: III. Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
Symphony No.1 In C Minor, Op.68: IV. Adagio - Piu Andante - Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Brio
Academic Festival Overture, Op.80

Tracks:

Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: I. Allegro Non Troppo
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: II. Adagio Non Troppo
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: III. Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto Ma Non Troppo
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: IV. Allegro Con Spirito
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: Chorale (St. Antoni)
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: I. Poco Piu Animato
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: II. Piu Vivace
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: III. Con Moto
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: IV. Andante Con Moto
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: V. Vivace
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: VI. Vivace
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: VII. Grazioso
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: VIII. Presto Non Troppo
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a: Finale

Tracks:

Symphonie No.3 In F Major, Op.90: I. Allegro Non Troppo
Symphonie No.3 In F Major, Op.90: II. Andante Moderato
Symphonie No.3 In F Major, Op.90: III. Allegro Giocoso
Symphonie No.3 In F Major, Op.90: IV. Allegro Energico E Passionato
Alto Rhapsody, Op.53 - Dunja Vejzovic

Tracks:

Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: I. Allegro Non Troppo
Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: II. Andante Moderato
Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: III. Allegro Giocoso
Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: IV. Allegro Energico E Passionato
Tragic Overture, Op.81

Customer Reviews:

A jewel in my collection.......2005-11-15

Brahms was the torchbearer of the First Viennese School, holding down tradition's fort in the face of the Liszt/Wagner music of the future. Despite his preference for Classical forms and structure, his temperament was unquestionably Romantic. Brahms resolved these seemingly opposite forces in his music, but realizing Brahms' vision in performance can be elusive. Among the symphony cycles, rarely has Brahms sounded so fully Classical and fully Romantic simultaneously than in this set.

The critical element in Eschenbach's readings is that they are somewhat slower than most, with tempi similar to those of Furtwangler's. This approach allows the thick orchestration to breathe, making it easier to appreciate Brahms' unrivaled mastery of musical architecture. Furthermore, it highlights his imagination while remaining within the confines of the traditional symphonic forms. For the slow movements, it fully showcases Brahms' lyricism that a faster tempo would have glossed over.

I did find the first movement of the Fourth to be a little slow, but it was still within the realm of reasonable interpretation. I'm sure it will grow on me as I listen more.

The inclusion of four add-ons is a nice bonus--most Brahms sets include only the Academic Festival and Tragic Overtures. No revelations here, but they are well performed.

Overall, an unbeatable value.

Great Brahms Cycle From An Unexpected Place.......2003-08-29

It's not all the time that it happens, but every once in a while, a symphonic cycle box set made by an orchestra that is not universally seen as a world-class outfit makes an impact. Such is the case here with this cycle of Brahms' four symphonies and various other works performed here by the Houston Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of Christoph Eschenbach, who served as Music Director from 1989 to 2001.

This Brahms cycle was made during the early 90s, and shows both Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony in top form. Eschenbach observes the first-movement exposition repeats of the first three symphonies, thus making their running times longer (the opening of No. 1 is almost nineteen minutes; that of No. 2 nearly twenty-two; and that of No. 3 over thirteen and a half), but the quality is never sacrificed. Dunja Vejzovic and the male voices of the Houston Symphony Chorus are excellent on the recording of Brahms' early choral work Alto Rhapsody; and the orchestra does good work on the Haydn Variations, the Academic Festival Overture, and the highly charged Tragic Overture.

Given all of this, it is bewildering that it has only been in recent times that the Houston Symphony has achieved the respect it has long deserved. After all, many big names had stood on the podium before Eschenbach: Beecham, Stokowski, Barbirolli, and Previn. But Eschenbach seemed to break through the orchestra board's long-time ultra-conservative musical mentality, and thus he elevated the Houston Symphony to world-class status. The proof can be found in this superbly recorded and superbly priced Brahms set, which is well worth seeking out.

The best Brahms for the best price!.......2002-09-23

When I saw this inexpensive 4cd box set, I knew that I had to get it, especially after hearing Eschenbach's recording of Bruckner's 6th w/Houston SO (the best ever btw). Some conductors (eg. Karajan) try to take you into different worlds in the different symphonies. However Eschenbach takes you to different places withnin the same world, giving the listener a more organic-whole musical listening experience. The rhythms are sharp, the readings are dark (Brahms was a hard-core loner) and intense. The opening of the first sym. reminds me of Klemperer, so deep and powerful. The stings are flawless and full of support. When one looks at set prices like Abbado's...the eschenbach set is one of the best Brahms bargain sets of all time. The filler pieces are equally strong, as are the singers in the alto rhap. A must have for all Brahmsians!!

Average customer rating:

3.5 stars -- a good starter set if the cost is not an issue
Magnificent, highly energized Brahms--Karajan's only rival from the Seventies

Brahms: The Symphonies

Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Mahler: The Symphonies
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Beethoven: Complete Overtures

ASIN: B00000E58C
Release Date: 1994-02-25

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73
Symphony No. 3 In F Major, Op. 90
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98
Serenade In D, Op. 11
Serenade In A, Op. 16
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56a
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
Tragic Overture, Op. 81
Hungarian Dances, No. 1, 3, & 10

Customer Reviews:

3.5 stars -- a good starter set if the cost is not an issue.......2007-04-10

This import box represents Bernard Haitink's best Brahms orchestral output, recorded from 1970-80 during his heyday with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. The remastering hasn't changed the sound much from the days these were released on silent surface vinyl recordings; the only difference I can hear is a bit more on the bottom. The upper range is identical to the vinyl pressings from that bygone era.

What has changed since the original release is Haitink's approach to Brahms. He later recorded most of the symphonies with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has, in recent years, recorded them again with the London Symphony Orchestra on its Live label with some available in the super audio format. These recordings are more mature, slower, stodgier and less well-conceived, in my opinion, than his work in this set.

Perhaps along similar lines, these performances eschew the posturing and philosophizing conductors have put forthi in Brahms scores since the days of Furtwangler. Haitink is by contrast eminently straightforward, as he was in virtually all repetory in his salad days in Amsterdam.

My favorites in this set are the same as they were during the days these were out on vinyl -- the sunny Symphony No. 2, which exposes the best in Haitink's personality as well as the euphonius sounds of the Concertgebouw brass. The disk of the two Serenades is another personal favorite, especially that earlier Serenade in D major with its 15-minute adagio. The mating of Symphonies 2 & 3 on a single CD is another of the high points of the set, which you have to buy in order to get this recording.

The less successful Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4, which require a bit more brooding, drama and understandinig than Haitink offers here to be fully accomplished, are available new on single disks for as little at $5-$6. This set offers a number of makeweights to fill out disks -- the Haydn variations and three Hungarian dances with Symphony 4; the Tragic and Academic Festival overtures accompany Symphony No. 1 -- that are all good without being masterful.

What most works against this set is the relatively high import cost and the fact that it takes four CDs to deliver the symphonies. When you consider that Karajan's remastered set from the same period is available on two disks for about $12 and you can buy Bruno Walter's beloved Brahms symphonies, accompanied by more substantial add-ons than here, on three disks for around $15, it places this set at a great disadvantage. You really have to be sold on Haitink to choose this over these and other historic recordings.

The great advantage, of course, is the addition of the two Serenades, a real jewel in this compendium, and the handsome packaging that includes a 34-page booklet in three languages with adequate notes and a bio on the conductor. In addition, this is still Haitink's best attempt at recording Brahms major orchestral works and is several notches better than his later recordings.

A good starter set, then, if cost is not an issue. More experienced collectors probably already have several versions of everything herein and may want to consider whether this meets any unmet need based on the conductor's literal style and the glorious playing and sound of the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Magnificent, highly energized Brahms--Karajan's only rival from the Seventies.......2006-02-23

Haitink was fairly new leading the Concertgebouw when he recored this Brahms cycle from 1970-73, yet the two are in remarkable sympathy. He asks for vibrant, energized playing, and they deliver beyond all expectation. These performances are frequently hair-raising; for sheer excitement they rival Toscanini and Karajan, withuot the former's tightness or the latter's grandiosity (great as both are).

Haitink's Brahms manages to be powerful and genial at the same time, combining Bruno Walter's tenderness with dazzling virtuosity. A reviewer can kill a recording with praise, but I defy anyone not to find these readings spellbinding and deeply moving. It's like hearing all four symphonies for the first time (the same goes for the incidental overtures and the two serenades, which were recorded later in 1976 and 1980).

If you have only heard the dull Brahms performances that Haitink later delivered in Boston and London, you will be astonished at these early ones. Philips provides excellent analog sound with lots of impact, miked very close to give us a conductor's perspective. I can only say that I regret overlooking this Brahms cycle for so long and now must place it at the very top of the list.

Average customer rating:

wonderfully unconventional

Brahms: Orchesterwerke

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000012Y3
Release Date: 1983-01-01

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in c, Op.68: 1. Un Poco Sostenuto-Allegro - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.1 in c, Op.68: 2. Andante Sostenuto - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.1 in c, Op.68: 3. Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.1 in c, Op.68: 4. Adagio-Piu Andante-Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Brio - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.3 in F, Op.90: 1. Allegro Con Brio - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.3 in F, Op.90: 2. Andante - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.3 in F, Op.90: 3. Poco Allegretto - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.3 in F, Op.90: 4. Allegro - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan

Tracks:

Sym No.2 in D, Op.73: 1. Allegro Non Troppo - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.2 in D, Op.73: 2. Adagio Non Troppo-L'istesso Tempo, Ma Grazioso - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.2 in D, Op.73: 3. Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andantino)-Presto Ma Non Assai-Tempo I - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.2 in D, Op.73: 4. Allegro Con Spirito - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Ser No.2 in A, Op.16: 1. Allegro Moderato - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.2 in A, Op.16: 2. Scherzo. Vivace - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.2 in A, Op.16: 3. Adagio Non Troppo - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.2 in A, Op.16: 4. Quasi Menuetto - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.2 in A, Op.16: 5. Rondo. Allegro - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado

Tracks:

Sym No.4 in e, Op.98: 1. Allegro Non Troppo - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.4 in e, Op.98: 2. Andante Moderato - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.4 in e, Op.98: 3. Allegro Giocoso-Poco Meno Presto-Tempo I - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Sym No.4 in e, Op.98: 4. Allegro Energico E Passionato-Piu Allegro - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Tragic Ov, Op.81: Allegro Non Troppo-Molto Piu Moderato-Tempo Primo-Un Poco Sostenuto-In. - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Chorale St. Antoni. Andante - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var I: Poco Piu Animato - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var II: Piu Vivace - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var III: Con Moto - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var IV: Andante Con Moto - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var V: Vivace - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var VI: Vivace - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var VII: Grazioso - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Var VIII: Presto Non Troppo - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan
Vars in B flat On A Theme, Op.56a: Finale. Andante - Berlin Phil/Herbert Von Karajan

Tracks:

Ser No.1 in D, Op.11: 1. Allegro Molto - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.1 in D, Op.11: 2. Scherzo. Allegro Non Troppo-Trio. Poco Piu Moto - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.1 in D, Op.11: 3. Adagio Non Troppo - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.1 in D, Op.11: 4. Menuetto I-Menuetto II - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.1 in D, Op.11: 5. Scherzo. Allegro-Trio - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Ser No.1 in D, Op.11: 6. Rondo. Allegro - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado
Academic Festival Ov, Op.80: Allegro - L'istesso Tempo, Un Poco Maestoso -Maestoso - Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado

Tracks:

Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.1 in g. Allegro Molto - Wiener Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.2 in D. Allegro Non Assai-Vivace - Wiener Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.3 in F. Allegretto - Wiener Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.4 in f#. Poco Sostenuto-Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.5 in g. Allegro-Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.6 in D. Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.7 in F. Allegretto-Vivo - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.8 in a. Presto - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.9 in e. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.10 in F. Presto - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.11 in d. Poco Andante - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.12 in d. Presto - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.13 in D. Andantino Graziosi-Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.14 in d. Un Poco Andante - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.15 in B flat. Allegretto Grazioso - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.16 in F. Con Moto - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.17 in f#. Andantino-Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.18 in D. Molto Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.19 in b. Allegretto - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.20 in e. Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado
Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No.21 in e. Vivace - Weiner Phil/Claudio Abbado

Customer Reviews:

wonderfully unconventional.......2000-03-15

The current debate over Brahms among music scholars is whether romantic interpretation should be applied to his music. Brahms was a neo-classical romantic period composer. He disliked wagner's music passionately, and took more after Beethoven than any other composer. Whether he would like this recording or not is questionable. At times over-indulgent in dramatic conventions, this recording gives the most romantic version of the symphonies that I can call to mind. It is beautifully done however, and is certainly passionate, and very enjoyable, if not historically accurate. This five disc set encompasses music of one of the orchestral masters in a way that few conductors dare to present it. The Berlin Philharmonic plays absolutely beautifully. If you dont mind dramatic interpretations of Brahms, this set is well worth the money. If you already own a more standard collection, this makes a great second set of the works.

Average customer rating:

Listen to each symphony a few times before moving on to the next one...
It's hard to face the truth
An intensely personal approach
I ran like hell
Down with the tyranny of David Hurwitz!

Brahms: 4 Symphonien

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B000001G6Q
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Un poco sostenuto - Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Andante sostenuto
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Un poco allegretto e grazioso
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor, Op. 68: Adagio - Allegro non troppo ma con brio

Tracks:

Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: Allegro non troppo
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: Adagio non troppo - L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: Allegretto grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto ma non assai - Tempo I
Symphony No.2 In D Major, Op.73: Allegro con spirito
Academic Festival Overture, Op.80

Tracks:

Symphony No.3 In F Major, Op.90: Allegro non brio - Brahms
Symphony No.3 In F Major, Op.90: Andante - Brahms
Symphony No.3 In F Major, Op.90: Poco allegretto - Brahms
Symphony No.3 In F Major, Op.90: Allegro - Brahms
Variations On A Theme By Joseph Haydn, Op.56a - Brahms

Tracks:

Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: Allegro non troppo
Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: Andante moderato
Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: Allegro giocoso - Poco meno presto -Tempo I
Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98: Allegro energico e passionato- Piu allegro
Tragic Overture, Op. 81

Amazon.com

This was one of the least successful of Bernstein's projects for DG. His Brahms was always pretty wayward, but in addition to his usual stop-and-start approach to the music, he's slowed everything down by half, making the result dull as well as demented. There are some great moments in the First and Third symphonies, particularly, and the playing is gorgeous, but these performances simply aren't competitive. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Listen to each symphony a few times before moving on to the next one..........2007-07-13

For the past 25 years since I've been colecting classical music recordings, getting to know and appreciate Brahms has taken a long time. Brahms doesn't seem to have the more immediate appeal of Beethoven, Mozart or Tchaikovsky. He is often described as "thick", even though he was one of the "Romantics".

Yet, little by little certain pieces of Brahms have indeeed grown on me. This set of four CDs is a good way to obtain the four Brahms symphonies all at once. My advise is to listen to each symphony a few times before moving on to the next one. It takes a while to really get the feel of the craftmanship and the warmth and tenderness underneath these ostesibly austere works. It is like a fine wine or delicate pastry that must be savored.

The first symphony is powerful, passionate and quite grand. The second is a bit more pastoral. The third is very fine and classy. The fourth is also very passionate and actually somewhat emotionally charged (especially in the first movement).

Of course, the thing about Brahms is that he is utterly unprogramatic. The music is not meant to stand for wind or rain or mountains or "the witch's dance" or what-have-you. For that reason, it may be difficult for some people to get a hold of Brahms. You have to let the layers of music talk to you.

Maestro Bernstein is, of course, very good at unlocking every morsel of flavor and goodness from these symphonies (perhaps a bit too much so for some listeners). It all depends upon what you like, but I think that Mr. Berstein's adds a touch of style to these pieces. Indeed, Bernstein's sense of grandness is in the vein of Bruckner or Mahler.

If that "grand late Romantic" fashion appeals to you, then this is a good set of Brahms symphonies for you.

Comparisons:

Symphony #1 (Karajan)
Symphony #2 (Guilini; Gunther Wand)
Symphony #3 (Fritz Reiner)
Symphony #4 (Charles Munch)

It's hard to face the truth.......2006-04-26

It's very unusual finding customer reviews that publicly bash the editorial reviews given for a particular CD. It's even more unusual when an editorial review is being bashed while it's completely justified in it's criticism. I myself am a profound Bernstein fanatic, but even I have to admit that these Brahms performances are getting in the way with the music, up to a point of total deprivation.

'Highlight' of the set is the unbelievable slow first movement of the Third which rather sounds like a truck riding on square wheels. Quite frankly, I was shocked. There's no flow whatsoever and to make matters worse, Lenny insists on adding the repeat, so we are faced by the same slow and stumbling experience. Quite unbearable. The second symphony fares better, but not by much, whilst the First and Fourth offer the same liabillities presented in the Third. The Concertos and Overtures are easily dispensed with.

I do not like giving Lenny's efforts less than satisfactory recommendations, but this is practically the first and only time I ever had to give just one star for his recordings. The fault quite clearly doesn't lie at editorial reviewer David Hurwitz' feet, but all the more at Bernstein's, which famed collaboration with the - to my humble opinion - extremely overrated Vienna Philharmonic, is often as indifferent or reluctant to play anything they do not particularly like.

However, It's a good thing, mind you, that inferior recordings exist. They bring out the best in those recordings that really belong at anyone's top list. In that perverse way, Bernstein's Brahms is quite useful.

An intensely personal approach.......2005-10-11

David Hurwitz overstates his objections, but it's true that for many listeners Bernstein's Brahms cycle from Vienna is overwrought. At this period in his career Bernstein tried to wring emotion from every bar of music; when he succeeded, audiences at his concerts felt that he came closest of any living conductor to recreating music as if it was being composed before their very eyes.

But his intense involvment works less well on records, in part becasue we attend concerts with more focus and concentration than we give to listening at home. These CDs can sound overcooked, and the tempi are undoubtedly slow. In the Fourth Sym., for example, Bernstein is slower in every movement than my versios by Klempeerer, Karajan, Kleiber, and Furtwangler. I don't own any Brahms from Celibidache or Knappertsbusch, two committed slow pokes, but Bernstein is in their vicinity.

If you connect with his intensely personal and involving style, then Bernstein''s cycle will appeal to you. There is no other conductor outside of Furtwangler who approaches Brahms so emotionally. But if your ideal is Mackerras, Szell, or Harnoncourt, all fine Brahmsians of a cooler breed, this cycle might be poisonous.

I ran like hell.......2005-07-21

I heard these when they were first released and my response was "OH GAWD!" Look, whether you like it or not Bernstein degenerated into a first-class kook in the later part of his life, when he was working for DG. Talk to anybody who knew him back then. His mannerisms, as I've learned from long hours with genuinely mannered yet coherent conductors like Furtwangler, are mannerisms. He was like a tripped-out hippie guru that everyone mistakes for a genius for all the wrong reasons; largely because he's convinced himself he's a genius. There was little I liked about these ponderous and portentious dinosaurs or anything else of his from that era and I'll go to the mat with any critic that says otherwise. His earlier recordings of everything were less glossy but much better. By this point in his career he was as far from Brahms as the Moon is from the Earth--with all that implies.

Please look around at plenty of other Brahms interpretations before getting all slime'd on this one. Klemperer, Jochum, Skrowaczewski, Harnoncourt, Mackerras, Furtwangler, Wand, Neville Marriner on Hanssler, dozens of others; ANYBODY but this freak and that Deutsche zombie von Karajan! Wander in that quieter, saner, more responsible Brahms realm and then, instead, if you really want to drop acid, get naked, and run through the woods screaming like a loon come back to these recordings and knock yourself out.

Down with the tyranny of David Hurwitz!.......2004-02-11

I find the writings of David Hurwitz to be patronizing and offensive. His reviews on Amazon (which are intended to be opionated and educational) all too often wind up being irritating and uninformative, replete with sweeping over-genralizations that leave me wondering if Mr. Hurwitz has ever actually listened to a single CD he has reviewed. They are also annoyingly predictable: endless praise for Richter and Mutter, etc., endless disdain for any historic or period performances. He criticizes orginality in performances and, unfortunately in many cases, the home reviewers at amazon sheepishly agree with whatever he says. I quote from his review of Goodman's Beethoven cycle, the greatest period recording of these masterworks, "These performances are so terrible that it's hard to believe anyone took them seriously...Utterly grotesque". Isn't this a little harsh for recordings that have been highly praised elsewhere and have recieved a home review average of 5 stars? Rather than pointing out the positives of an alternative approach to a piece, the proud Mr. Hurwitz has fallen to downright slander, while he elsewhere desperately panders his idols with repetitious adulation. There are many examples of this an Amazon. I also suspect that his rather bourgeois values have infected the whole "essential CD's" section of Amazon, which has the potential to be highly informative to listeners new to classical music.

Sym 1-4 / Piano Ctos 1-2 / Violin Cto / Double Cto

Average customer rating:

A Brahms collection well worth remembering
A Wonderful Bargain
all the music that fits...

Sym 1-4 / Piano Ctos 1-2 / Violin Cto / Double Cto
Brahms , and Sawallisch
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

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ASIN: B00006HM8Y
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

I: Un Poco Sostenuto-Allegro
Allegro
II Andante Sostenuto
III Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
IV Adagio-Piu Andante-
Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Brio-Piu Allegro
Variations On A Theme By Joseph Haydn (St. Anthony), Op. 56a
Tragic Overture, Op. 81

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Adagio Non Troppo-L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso
III: Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andantino)-Presto Ma Non Assai- Tempo I
IV: Allegro Con Spirito
Symphony No. 3, Op. 90 F Major: I: Allegro Con Brio-Un Poco Sostenuto
II: Andante
III: Poco Allegretto
IV: Allegro- Un Poco Sostenuto

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Andante Moderato
III: Allegro Giocoso
IV:Allegro Energico E Passionato-Piu Allegro-
Langsam Und Sehnsuchtsvoll-
Allegro-
Adagio-
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80

Tracks:

I: Maestoso
II: Adagio
III: Rondo: Allegro Non Troppo
1. Gestillte Sehnsucht- Longing Assuaged- Nostalgie Apaisee
2. Geistliches Wiegenlied- Sacred Cradle Song- Berceuse Mystique

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Allegro Appassionato
III: Andante Piu Adagio- Tempo I
IV: Allegretto Grazioso- Un Poco Piu Presto
1. Wie Melodien Zieht Es Mir- Like Melodies Flowing- Comme Des Melodies Cela Passe
2. Immer Leiser Wird Mein Schlummer- Ever Softer Grows My Slumber- Mon Sommeil Se Fait Toujours Plus Leger
3. Klage- Lament-Plainte
4. Auf Dem Kirchhofe- In The Churchyard- Au Cimetiere
5. Verrat- Betrayel- Trahison

Tracks:

I: Allegro - Mozart
II: Adagio - Mozart
III: Rondeau: Allegro- Allegretto- Tempo I - Mozart
I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Adagio
III: Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Andante
III: Vivace Non Troppo
I: Andante- Poco Piu Animato
II: Scherzo: Allegro- Molto meno Allegro
III: Adagio Mesto
IV: Finale: Allegro Con Brio

Customer Reviews:

A Brahms collection well worth remembering.......2007-02-14

Everyone is looking for a bargain these days and too often we get cheated with something cheap and nasty. Don't get nervous, however. This is a real nugget.
The title may be slightly misleading. It's not just Brahms' orchestral works - there are also chamber pieces and Lieder with just a little Mozart Violin Concerto thrown in to fill up the space...though I'd have preferred a Brahms clarinet quintet. Ach weh, das Leben ist nie perfekt!

If you think of the great 20th century conductors, Wolfgang Sawallisch is probably not the first name that springs to mind. Yet you would be hard put to it to find anything to fault with any of these performances and some are truly outstanding. The Violin concerto is probably not one of these, because of the final movement, yet Franz Peter Zimmerman as soloist has perfect intonation and the Berlin Philharmonic for the most part plays with him in beautiful balance. It's a fine partnership with some lovely and some very dramatic moments. I just wish the finale had been played with a little more rubato. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's definitely more German than Hungarian. The Berlin Philharmonic also plays in the Mozart. The rest is all with the London.

Let's come to the First Piano Concerto. For me this is a seminal Brahms work. Put together out of the ruins of the "first" symphony this is a youthful but extraordinarily complex piece full of extreme contrasts, with violent and passionate emotions vying with moments of pure lyricism. For the soloist it is less technically than physically and emotionally demanding with its many pages of `doubled' writing but Stephen Kovacevich (Bishop) is the ideal pianist for it, never flagging, even in the monumental finale. This is a performance of immense power, strength, beauty and warmth, encapsulating as it does, and as no other does, both the despair and triumph of youthful passion, and I can honestly say I have never heard it better performed. In it Sawallisch shows himself to be the perfect conductor, holding the orchestra back and giving the soloist free rein and then applying full throttle at exactly the right moments.
Twenty-two years separate the two piano concertos, yet what is most striking is the similarity between the two works, the Second being, if anything even more symphonic than the First with its four movements. The conflict here is not between the piano and the orchestra - each is locked together in the first two movements in a joint and at times arduous battle with the Fates - yet in many ways it's also more like a gigantic piano quintet and Sawallisch and Kovacevich work here in perfect harmony to establish a fantastic rapport. In the third movement the structure is perhaps even songlike with the pianist accompanying the orchestra, particularly the cello, rather than vice versa and the finale is pure delight with both orchestra and piano ending up hopping and skipping round each other in a charming puckish way. Brahms is here at his most winsome and appealing and this is one of the lightest and most attractive endings I have heard to an otherwise at times very intense and demanding piece of music .
Many will buy this selection for the orchestral works - well that is after all what it says on the label - so I imagine there will also be many who are surprised to find the Lieder. Brahms was a wonderful composer of songs and his unerringly full-blooded choice of lyric - to which he always paid the closest attention - puts him right at the forefront of the great romantic song composers of the period, though it is here that his debt to Schumann is probably at its greatest. Ann Murray has a lovely voice and though I would not put her front of Schwarzkopf or Kathleen Ferrier, these are more than respectable performances. Stephen Kovacevich shows a different but very impressive side of his talent as accompanist. My favorite here, however, is his setting for choir and orchestra of Hölderlin's deeply pessimistic Hyperions Schicksalslied, which absolutely transforms the poem and gives us a wonderful glimpse at least of Ein Deutsches Requiem.

It would be beyond the scope of this commentary to review the performances of the four Symphonies in detail, not to mention the ability of the reviewer! Suffice it to say that Sawallisch and the London Philharmonic play these all with strict attention to Brahms' markings and excellent dynamic contrast, though always remaining aware that during the 20th century, like it or not, tempi in most classical pieces did speed up. No-one can play Brahms successfully without, at the right moments, passion, and for me the highlight (one of many) was the swirling attack in the emotionally turbulent opening to the First Symphony. Sawallisch cannot fail to have been aware of the immense presence of Karajan in these symphonies and to his eternal credit he does not attempt to fight with this, by striving to be different, but lets the orchestra "have its head" and as a consequence his performance of the battling First Symphony is very fine indeed. The key moment in this work for me is the entry of the horn in the slow introduction to the finale and I'm pleased to say, in this performance it is absolutely right. The second symphony, composed only a year later in the beautiful surroundings of the Wörther See in Austria's Lake District, is altogether a much more relaxed affair, and a great opportunity for the conductor to allow the orchestra a chance really to show its style, which is precisely what Sawallisch does and this is one of the London Philharmonic's most sumptuous performances. Interestingly for the Third Symphony Sawallisch opts for the slower Klemperer tempi and there is some very grand playing here, especially in the richly contrasted first movement. However, I feel in the third movement he is a tad too slow, with the result that some of the seething and restless undercurrents are allowed to fade. This is a very "classical" rendering of a tragic work in which the finale is seen, and I'm sure Brahms was striving for this, as both resigned and conclusive. I don't really feel, however, that Sawallisch has quite got to the bottom of this profoundly ambiguous piece. As for the Fourth, in this symphony often described as "autumnal" or "resigned" but probably one of the most passionate and perturbed of all Brahms' works, with time and again the resolution of soft legato passages broken into by turbulent outbursts, Sawallisch does not quite get the same precision of playing in the third movement as Karajan and at one point seems to lose the rhythmic impetus altogether, however, he quickly regathers it and the final passacaglia is as bold, dramatic, and tragic, as anyone could wish for.

The best is saved till last. Who else but Brahms could have composed a world class piece for an instrument that can only play about 11 notes, the Waldhorn? Well he does, and this work, the Horn Trio Op.40, is pure joy from beginning to end, the only hint of sadness being in the slow movement, which is an elegy on the death of his father, who was, guess what, a Waldhorn player. The violinist in this piece is Franz Peter Zimmerman, the same as who performed so well in the Violin Concerto and the pianist none other than Wolfgang Sawallisch, one of the very few recordings of him as a performer. Warum, ich frage mich? The final movement simply bounds along, with some perfect staccato playing by Marie Luise Neunecker on such an abominable instrument! No-one could ever have had a better ride into Elysium.

Is this a bargain? Well I'll let you judge for yourself, but this is my only Brahms recording and I won't be buying another, I imagine, for a little while yet. I suppose purely on the strength of the performances it's 4 stars rather than 5, but given the price and the range of the set, it would be churlish not to give it its 5.

A Wonderful Bargain.......2003-04-01

In this elegant and efficiently packaged compact box from EMI you get all of Brahms's orchestral music (except the two serenades) in first-rate performances at an unbeatable price. Wolfgang Sawallisch is one of the most distinguished conductors alive today and his performances of the great German classics are always worth listening to. Not a showman or an attention-grabber, Sawallisch unfailingly delivers beautifully thought-through performances that are nuanced and subtle. As a result, his work can strike some people as too laid back and emotionally reticent. Musicians, on the other hand, marvel at what they hear. (Check out the DVD version of the documentary film "The Art of Conducting," where long-time Sawallisch fan and colleague Elisabeth Schwarzkopf doesn't hesitate to mention him in the same breath with Klemperer, Boehm, Furtwaengler and Toscanini.) Especially if you're past the neophyte stage as a Brahms listener, you're likely to find Sawallisch's performances very satisfying. As far as specific performances go, let me admit that in another Amazon.com review I've compared these Brahms symphony recordings unfavorably with an earlier Sawallisch set on Philips. I've now changed my mind because EMI apparently has remastered the performances for this box set and they now sound marvelously fresh and alive - even better played(!) than on previous issues. Ditto the two overtures, Haydn Variations and "Schicksalslied." The concerto performances, gorgeously imagined and performed with scrupulous attention to structural detail, are also excellent. Sawallisch seems to have found his ideal partner in pianist Stephen Kovacevich, who matches the conductor insight for insight in the two piano concertos ... just listen to how magically Kovacevich and Sawallisch conjure Mozart in the finale of the B-flat concerto! The two string concertos are also done memorably by Frank Peter Zimmerman, with cellist Heinrich Schiff assisting in the great, late Double Concerto. Finally, the set provides a generous number of bonus performances including handsome renditions of the Mozart third violin concerto (with Zimmerman); some Brahms lieder (performed by Kovacevich and Ann Murray); and the wonderfully autumnal Horn Trio (where Sawallisch himself presides at the piano). Even if you own other performances of this music, I urge you to buy this set: it provides a remarkably satisfying brahmsian synthesis of public rhetoric and private emotion that I'm sure will continue to impress you the more you listen. Sound quality is marvelously warm and true for a digital recording.

all the music that fits..........2003-01-02

if you're a fan of brahms' symphonies and concertos, then this EMI compilation is the perfect match...his four symphonies, two piano concertos, violin concerto, and double concerto are well presented by sawallisch, the berlin philharmonic, and soloists....nothing outlandish or unusual, just straight-on brahms for those who enjoy a good balance from the orchestra, soloists, and wallet.....if I had to choose only one cd release for brahms, this would be it.

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