Search - Johannes Brahms, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Berlin Philharmoniker :: Brahms: The Symphonies - Haydn Variations / Academic Festival Overture / Tragic Overture

An Underrated Great Brahms Symphony Cycle

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 05/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nikolaus Harnoncourt's latest archaeological excursion into classical music is a mixed blessing, but one where its virtues outweigh its flaws. I commend Grammophone's Guide to Classical CDs for rating Harnoncourt's Brahms symphony cycle as definitive. Here he has gone back to Brahms' original scores, offering invigoratingly fresh perspectives on Brahms' symphonies. Furthermore, he's emphasized 19th Century performance practices that have gone out of fashion, such as playing multiple notes with the single stroke of a string musician's bow. For example, Harnoncourt's reading of Brahms' 2nd Symphony is the most introspective I've heard, without the lush, warm sounds of the string, woodwind, and horn sections that I've come to expect after hearing mesmerizing, emotionally stirring, versions from Bernstein, Haitink and Masur. There are other instances where Harnoncourt's conducting is idiosyncratic, but oddly compelling, throughout this CD set. Of course the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's playing is first rate, yet it is noted more for its brilliance than for any warmth. And Teldec once again records live performances that are as well balanced as any studio recording. If you are willing to take the plunge and hear a distinctive, novel view of Brahms, then I strongly recommend acquiring Harnoncourt's cycle."

Always interesting, not always convincing

drollere | Sebastopol, CA United States | 12/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"harnoncourt has made a fabulous second career for himself by bringing the "original music" approach to "modern music" such as beethoven, schubert and brahms. i thoroughly enjoyed this set, most of all because the strongly analytic handling of ensemble, dramatic changes in tempi and dynamics, and unusual choices of string bowings all changed my expectations of what brahms should sound like and what brahms actually wrote. these performances wouldn't be my first pick for a full on brahms experience (try the new abbado, or klemperer), but they are deeply interesting to listen to. the sound is excellent, and the berlin philharmonic plays at a consistently high level of commitment.it's worth mention that the berlin philharmonic has become a very young, international orchestra, and to this crew harnoncourt brought his stupendous scholarship and depth of musicianship -- he even sang to them the chorale in brahms' academic festival overture, so they'd get the musical joke it contains. harnoncourt's restless musical intellect is probably a major reason why this orchestra and their resident conductor claudio abbado wanted to tackle beethoven's symphonies in a new way -- in the cycle they released this year.folks who like this cycle may also want to check out the mackerras recordings with the scottish symphony -- also very innovative, interesting, and full of musical insights."

Brahms with open Ahms.

Angus W. Grant | Melbourne, Australia | 05/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My singing teacher once said "Too much Brahms is never enough".

The great thing about this set is that the performances are so fresh and dynamic, you get to listen to these wonderful works as though you had a new set of ears.



To sum up the whole set: Clean, clear incisive and a tad edgy. The sound of the recordings is exceptionally fresh. The lack of warmth comes from a very lean string sound and less bloom on the brass. It also comes from the phrasing. Every bar has obviously been re-rehearsed and treated as though it is a vital moment of the symphonic structure. The most important gain from this is the impetus it gives to the rythmic drive and also the excitment it gives to Brahms' polyrhythms. This works extremely well in last movements of the 1st (a truly thrilling experience) and the 2nd and in the 3rd movement of the First. These recordings put to bed the school of thought that Brahms didn't know how to orchestrate. The recording maintains a stunning balance between woodwind, brass and strings without ever becoming too clinical.



What you lose with this approach is the element of dark, gothic mystery that more traditional perfromances can achieve and which we sometimes all want to hear when we are feeling a bit maudlin after our third glass of red.



This set is one of my most treasured recorded discoveries of recent years. If you don't have a set of these works then this is an excellent first choice and if you aleady treasure these great works you would be mad not try these interpretations.

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