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Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
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Release Date: 10-AUG-2004
CD Reviews
Outstanding Brahms Fourth in a Crowded Field!
goodmusicman | USA | 03/16/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bernard Haitink's 1972 recording of Brahms' Fourth Symphony with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam stands out above the crowd for two key reasons: it is the most exciting rendition of this work that I have ever heard and it features virtuosic and polished orchestral playing from what is arguably the greatest orchestra in the world. Additionally, the sound quality is so good--clarity, ambience, orchestral detail, and lack of hiss--that you will be sure it is a top-notch digital recording even though it is not.
Haitink maintains a consistent tension throughout the work, never letting go. The first movement is given great forward momentum, the second is rhythmically taut (as opposed to lackluster, too often the case in this movement), the third bursts out with limitless energy, and the last sizzles with the drama and darkness befitting this work. Even the recent highly-praised account by Kent Nagano with the German SO of Berlin, as good as it is, is not in the same league as this Haitink recording. Besides, the Nagano CD costs about three times as much as this one! To top it off, Haitink delivers a beautiful account of the Haydn Variations that is lyrical and melodic. The orchestral playing is once again as good as it gets. Every section of the orchestra does its part magnificently. As a bonus, we are given the (only) three Hungarian Dances which Brahms himself orchestrated, played with great flair and with a real sense of the Bohemian and dance-like qualities of the music.
In sum, the performances on this CD are must-haves for Brahms fans. Probably even some who were not previously will be won over to this composer by virtue of these performances. With the most exciting Brahms Fourth I know of, outstanding fillers, and excellent sound quality, this CD would be a no-brainer at full price. At budget price, it is a steal."
Absolute Steal! Wonderful Conducting and Great Sound Too!
Doug - Haydn Fan | California | 05/23/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"SantaFe listener urged this recording on me, and given the fact he is not one to rave about the work of Haitink I snapped it up. So I have to give full credit to his lead on finding this great CD.
Generally I like my Brahms 4th placed with a heavy dose of Romantic billowing to and froh, but Haitink here makes a superb case for a more controlled passion. The Concertgebouw plays as wonderfully as anyone might hope, and the best news is that this reissue showcases fabulous sound; balanced, full of the magic atmosphere of the famous hall, and detailed without ever turning too dry or acerbic.
I can't think of any better versions of this mighty symphony - at least not in modern stereo. The Carlos Kleiber version as mentioned above by SantaFe listener is a great choice as well, Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Carlos Kleiber / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra However, what the heck - the two versions are different enough in their own unique ways that at such great prices you can afford to buy them both!
The whole world loves a bargain, and so another gleeful vote for this issue - at this bargain price you simply can't go wrong!"
More wonderful Brahms from an energized young Haitink
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 02/23/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bernard Haitink can be a cautious, unimaginative condcutor, more so as he aged. But this Brahms Fourth from 1972 is sweeping, energetic, and full of lyricism. It stands out for excellent analog sound and the gorgeous sonority of the Concergenouw, also. There is such depth of tone to go with Haitnik's depth of feeling that I was carried away--as I have been by all of his early Brahms from the Seventies. If anything, this installment is actually the least extraordinary; the First, Second, and Third are especially magnificent. All told, this CD goes to the top of my list for a bargain Brahms Fourth and equals Carlos Kleiber as best of all in modern sound."
Brahms From Amsterdam
Erik North | San Gabriel, CA USA | 03/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One of the great Brahms cycles recorded during the last half century was the one done between 1970 and 1980 for Philips by the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam and its great music director from 1964 to 1987, Bernard Haitink. Part of the proof of this can be seen on this remastered recording by the Universal Music Group, of which Philips is a part, of works from that cycle--the Fourth Symphony (recorded in June 1972); the Haydn Variations (recorded in June 1973); and the 1st, 3rd, and 10th Hungarian Dances (all three dances recorded in October 1980).
The world-class sound of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and the concert hall for which it is named shine in this recording. The Fourth Symphony, arguably one of Brahms' most dramatic pieces, is given a finely crafted performance; while the Haydn Variations, the work that placed Brahms on the orchestral map in 1868, are given a very steady rendering under Haitink's skillful direction. The Hungarian Dances, meanwhile, give the orchestra and the conductor the means to stretch out musically, and the finished result overall justifies both Haitink's and the Concertgebouw Orchestra's place in the classical music pantheon. None of the pieces is delivered in a heavy-handed fashion, but the drama of them definitely comes through all the same."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1