Best Modern Brahms Symphony Cycle in Digital Sound

[Mr Pee]

I like the use of natural horns, but it wouldn't be a library choice.

I think it would be a library choice for me, along with most of Norrington's recordings, in that I would happily donate them.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

well Mr Pee i would keep my set ... i especially enjoy the contextual pieces JEG includes in each programme, the taut rhythmic and clear exposition which gives me a strong feeling of the symphonies and their structure and the clarity of reproduction of the orchestral parts so that eg the viloa section is not just lost in the mix when it has its own thematic contribution ....

[Stanfordian]

I completely agree the new Rattle with the Berlin Phil is stunning No.3 and 4 especially, although i do prefer Jansons recording of No.2 the rush of adrenalin in the finale that Jansons generates sweeps away the Rattle. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Bavar...9718954&sr=1-1

I really enjoy the Klemperor as well, i think the sound is actually very good.

Hiya BeethovensQuill,

I was fortunate enough to review both the Rattle/Berliner Phil and more recently the Jansons/Bavarian RSO sets. I am a great admirer of both orchestras having reported on a number of both their concerts in the last three or four years over in Berlin and Munich. I consider the Bavarian RSO to be a great orchestra and Mariss Jansons a great conductor and they are fine Brahms performances that I think will grow on me. But on this occasion I prefer the Rattle and his Berliner Philharmoniker. If I had to have just one set it would be a toss up between Rattle/Berliner Phil and Klemperer/Philharmonia.

[richardfinegold]

Hiya BeethovensQuill,

I was fortunate enough to review both the Rattle/Berliner Phil and more recently the Jansons/Bavarian RSO sets. I am a great admirer of both orchestras having reported on a number of both their concerts in the last three or four years over in Berlin and Munich. I consider the Bavarian RSO to be a great orchestra and Mariss Jansons a great conductor and they are fine Brahms performances that I think will grow on me. But on this occasion I prefer the Rattle and his Berliner Philharmoniker. If I had to have just one set it would be a toss up between Rattle/Berliner Phil and Klemperer/Philharmonia.

I heard the 4th a while ago from Rattle/Berlin, and it was very exciting. I heard part of the 2nd on the radio a few days ago, and not so much.

[BeethovensQuill]

Hiya BeethovensQuill,

I was fortunate enough to review both the Rattle/Berliner Phil and more recently the Jansons/Bavarian RSO sets. I am a great admirer of both orchestras having reported on a number of both their concerts in the last three or four years over in Berlin and Munich. I consider the Bavarian RSO to be a great orchestra and Mariss Jansons a great conductor and they are fine Brahms performances that I think will grow on me. But on this occasion I prefer the Rattle and his Berliner Philharmoniker. If I had to have just one set it would be a toss up between Rattle/Berliner Phil and Klemperer/Philharmonia.

Standfordian - By any chance are you going to the Baden Baden easter festival? I would dearly love to go and hear the Bruckner 9th and then the Mahler 2nd a few days later whilst taking in Haydn's Seven Last words in the String Quartet version. Although i doubt i'll be able to.

[Barbirollians]

Not modern but I have enjoyed the VPO/Barbirolli Third and Fourth ! The Fourth in particular unfolds magnificently and con amore indeed in the slow movement . Both the Bavarian RSO and the Coventry Cathedral BPO Brahms 2s are infinitely superior to his VPO version though.

[Andrew Preview]

Best modern Brahms cycle in digital sound? Rattle/BPO.

Rattle and Abbado are neck and neck for me. Unlike Richard Osborne, I didn't particularly warm to Rattle's way with the 3rd, which Abbado knocks out of the park. Not much to choose in the second. But I prefer the poodle-permed one in the 1st and 4th. So it's Rattle on points I suppose!

[BeethovensQuill]

am i alone in liking the Gardiner?

I enjoy the 1st with Gardiner, the finale is great, sometimes i miss the bigger string section in the 1st movement, but still enjoyable.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

i would be grateful if you would care to elaborate Eine A

Just not keen on repressed playing. Give me lovingly played Barbirolli anytime.

[Barbirollians]

I enjoy the 1st with Gardiner, the finale is great, sometimes i miss the bigger string section in the 1st movement, but still enjoyable.

If you want a great Brahms 1 finale - Karajan in the Festival Hall and Cantelli are the two who really go for broke in this movement . The coda in the Karajan is astonishing .

[Barbirollians]

I completely agree the new Rattle with the Berlin Phil is stunning No.3 and 4 especially, although i do prefer Jansons recording of No.2 the rush of adrenalin in the finale that Jansons generates sweeps away the Rattle. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Bavar...9718954&sr=1-1

I really enjoy the Klemperor as well, i think the sound is actually very good.

Boult is unsurpassed in the Second Symphony - though Bruno Walter runs him close . The Barbirolli live Testament is affected by the Coventry cathedral acoustic but my what a passionate wonderful account - as Karafan marvellously records on his splendid review on here.

[Stanfordian]

Standfordian - By any chance are you going to the Baden Baden easter festival? I would dearly love to go and hear the Bruckner 9th and then the Mahler 2nd a few days later whilst taking in Haydn's Seven Last words in the String Quartet version. Although i doubt i'll be able to.

Hiya BeethovensQuill,

It looks like a great festival in Baden-Baden. It's a place I've not visited although I would like to one day. God willing my plans for this year are Munich in March, Dresden in May and Berlin in September.

If you like Haydn's 'Seven Last Words' I can recommend the Jose Peris version played by the Henschel Quartet with mezzo Susanne Kelling on Challenge Classics.

[pastoralguy]

Boult is unsurpassed in the Second symphony.

I remember hearing Sir Alex Gibson and the SNO playing this in 1977 - the first time I had ever heard the work. (The soloist in the first half was a 19 year old Nigel Kennedy playing the Mendelssohn concerto!) The following morning I borrowed Boult's Brahms 2 on tape which I played so many time the tape broke! I apologised to the librarian who just smiled and suggested I borrow the Karajan version to replace it.

[Barbirollians]

I remember hearing Sir Alex Gibson and the SNO playing this in 1977 - the first time I had ever heard the work. (The soloist in the first half was a 19 year old Nigel Kennedy playing the Mendelssohn concerto!) The following morning I borrowed Boult's Brahms 2 on tape which I played so many time the tape broke! I apologised to the librarian who just smiled and suggested I borrow the Karajan version to replace it.

That was cruel of him !

[richardfinegold]

I completely agree the new Rattle with the Berlin Phil is stunning No.3 and 4 especially, although i do prefer Jansons recording of No.2 the rush of adrenalin in the finale that Jansons generates sweeps away the Rattle. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Bavar...9718954&sr=1-1

I really enjoy the Klemperor as well, i think the sound is actually very good.

I agree about the Klemperer, which has long been my benchmark for Brahms. Perhaps the OP was hearing a bad radio relay