BaL 28.04.18 - Brahms: Symphony no. 1 in C minor

[kea]

But there are scarcely any HIPPS-Period-Instrument recordings around, apart from Gardiner.... (which for me I'm afraid is one of his least rewarding or memorable sets)...Herreweghe did a wonderful 4th last year (On of my records of the year), but I don't think he's released any more yet (though I saw mention of forthcoming releases somewhere...)

Norrington & the London Classical Players is the other option, which I also prefer somewhat to the Gardiner, though for both recordings the natural horns & trumpets are worth the price of admission by themselves imo >.>

Valve horns & trumpets were obviously already widely available when Brahms wrote his symphonies, but even just an examination of the scores by themselves reveals the parts were written for natural instruments, & Brahms is on record as preferring them, apparently (eg in remarks he made about the Horn Trio op.40). Apart from that I'm not sure period instrument recordings add extremely much; they sound much like the "authentic" prewar recordings by Walter, Krauss etc except in modern sound, and with less portamento and generally a more metronomic pulse. At least that's been my experience.

[richardfinegold]

Norrington & the London Classical Players is the other option, which I also prefer somewhat to the Gardiner, though for both recordings the natural horns & trumpets are worth the price of admission by themselves imo >.>

Valve horns & trumpets were obviously already widely available when Brahms wrote his symphonies, but even just an examination of the scores by themselves reveals the parts were written for natural instruments, & Brahms is on record as preferring them, apparently (eg in remarks he made about the Horn Trio op.40). Apart from that I'm not sure period instrument recordings add extremely much; they sound much like the "authentic" prewar recordings by Walter, Krauss etc except in modern sound, and with less portamento and generally a more metronomic pulse. At least that's been my experience.

Question about the Manze/Helsingborg cycle: are those period instruments?

[BBMmk2]

Quite. I wish the BAL slot was 1 hour, whichever style.

I might tweet Andrew.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Question about the Manze/Helsingborg cycle: are those period instruments?

No. Like Norrington in his later recording, Manze uses a "modern instrument" orchestra using "Period Style" tempi etc, and a smaller band than what was usual in the twentieth century in these works.

[jayne lee wilson]

Having now heard the SWR/Norrington Brahms 1st Symphony complete (via Qobuz HiFi as usual), I can say that, if at first its vibrato-free attack seems a little severe, it is indeed an outstanding performance, as much for its splendidly craggy, momentous first movement (intro briskly flowing, never overbearing, with very carefully observed dynamics; allegro not too fast, climaxes perfectly built toward) as for its purity and transparency of line and detail elsewhere.

The rather ascetic, almost prayerful, andante allows just one brief moment of vibrato, in the violin solo towards the end (some culture-shock for me after admiring the vibrato-rubato-and-portamento rich Mackerras…) The allegretto grazioso feels just that, fresh and light with lovely wind-playing, a genuine relaxation away from weightier matters; the finale intro creeps in with senza vibrato clean, cool string sonorities. A lovely, unusual restraint to the largamente; then a true, heart-and-mind-quickening agitato; once or twice I found the tempo changes a little stiff and sudden. No rubato allowed here...!
The development builds to a tremendous sense of struggle and tension before the return of the horn theme from the intro. (the form of this finale is very unusual, no?), and the coda is very exciting without being OTT or too apocalyptic, brass very prominent in the SWR/RN way, the great final chorale before the beefy, gutty coda given beautifully-judged, properly climactic rhetorical emphasis without noticeably slowing.

One of the best 1sts I’ve heard; you’ll notice detail of instrumentation and pointed phrases not so apparent in other readings: ears and mind refreshed. So this really deserves its recommendation, and BaL is fulfilling at least one of its prime functions if it leads a listener to such a discovery.

[Barbirollians]

I had not listened to the winning Furtwangler for a long time . My preferred version having been the VPO from two weeks earlier in 1952.

Having returned to it today there is an extraordinary epic inevitability as the performance unfolds. Old it may be but anyone coming to the performance with fresh ears will surely become a life long fan of Brahms 1.

[BBMmk2]

I heard Sakari Oramo's performance of Brahms's 1 on the radio last Mon day afternoon. Rather turgid, and ponderous I thought. Similar to Klemperer's.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I had not listened to the winning Furtwangler for a long time . My preferred version having been the VPO from two weeks earlier in 1952.

Having returned to it today there is an extraordinary epic inevitability as the performance unfolds. Old it may be but anyone coming to the performance with fresh ears will surely become a life long fan of Brahms 1.

[crb11]

I heard Sakari Oramo's performance of Brahms's 1 on the radio last Mon day afternoon. Rather turgid, and ponderous I thought. Similar to Klemperer's.

Oh yes! Oddly I'd been sampling Chailly's recording just before we went out in the car and picked up Oramo's performance at a similar point early in the second movement. My wife refused to believe it was the same piece of music she'd just heard in the house!

[Barbirollians]

Oh yes! Oddly I'd been sampling Chailly's recording just before we went out in the car and picked up Oramo's performance at a similar point early in the second movement. My wife refused to believe it was the same piece of music she'd just heard in the house!

I have also been listening to Chailly's recording of the two Serenades on Amazon Prime - they are very good too.

[Barbirollians]

Going back to Furtwangler his recording of Brahms 3 that was also released on a single CD with a wonderful Unfinished as the coupling is I reckon even better than the Brahms 1 .

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Going back to Furtwangler his recording of Brahms 3 ... is I reckon even better than the Brahms 1 .

I would agree - and think the same could be said of Walter - but then, I much prefer the Third Symphony to the First.

[BBMmk2]

I have also been listening to Chailly's recording of the two Serenades on Amazon Prime - they are very good too.

I might have to buy this set.

What are those piano arrangements like?

[Barbirollians]

I would agree - and think the same could be said of Walter - but then, I much prefer the Third Symphony to the First.

I wouldn't disagree with any of that. The Walter Third is my desert island recording of the piece. Though that live Boult on ICA Classics is very special too .

The Walter was the first Brahms 3 I owned on CD ( Klemperer I had on cassette) and I kept playing the very opening over and over again .

[jayne lee wilson]

I tried my (very patient) best with the BaL choice, the 1952 Titania-Palast Furtwangler Brahms 1st, but all too predictably, this impassioned, intense, grandly Romantic manner of performance isn't for me.... so I won't go on about it. (I read and understand RO's preferences for the VPO one, which I haven't heard (I don't think I could bear to now...) but he does remark that it is interpretatively similar).
Listening to Brahms played this way I think, well, I don't want to hear more Brahms just now...
With Mackerras or Norrington - just the opposite. Whatever the heart and the ear crave, is the path you follow....

So it goes... to be fair, I was never Furtwangler's greatest admirer, not even in Bruckner. Of that generation I incline much more to Knappertsbusch (often more lyrical - songlike, Schubertian - and organic in his approach) or Mengelberg; Toscanini too, but really only in Beethoven Symphonies.

***
I do have those Chailly Brahms Serenades, and in 24/96 too.... they are enjoyable though No.1 seems rather too brisk in places. My preference remains with SCO/Mackerras (which I would confidently recommend even to those who may be less sympathetic to his way with the Four Symphonies.). More warmly recorded than those, it is a truly lovely record.