Search - Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Wilhelm Furtwängler :: Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Schumann: Piano Concerto

Best Brahms Fourth Ever! But the Schumann-great for Furtwang

Ralph J. Steinberg | New York, NY United States | 01/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Schumann would be great if Gieseking had been replaced by a more sympathetic pianist. His playing, to be honest, is graceless, cold, and labored. John Ardoin in his book The Furtwangler Record sums it up well. Furtwangler's reading of the score is of course majesterial, but it sounds like he is battling against Gieseking to achieve some measure of grace and eloquence. However, the Brahms 4th Symphony is the best of any I have ever heard, now finally given proper reproduction. I never fail to be amazed at the quality of your work. This performance is a powerful example of a demonic, rather than autumnal, interpretation which Weingartner, Kempe, and late Walter would give (Walter's BBC performance is more in the Furtwangler camp).

The reproduction by Opus Kura is beyond praise, fuller and more detailed than DG or Tahra. I see all this fuss made over Naxos as the premier historical label; FOLKS, GET A LOAD OF OPUS KURA'S SOUND AND YOU WILL BE A CONVERT!"