Our Summer BAL 13: Brahms Symphony No 3

[silvestrione]

I recently heard Rattle and the Vienna Phil do Brahms 3 in London, and was left feeling, what a great symphony, I've neglected this, but that was not quite a satisfying performance of it!

So I've been in search of one on record. Favourites so far

Haitink Boston Symphony Orchestra. I was really impressed by the BSO in this, didn't know they were so good (I actually decided I was listening to the Concertgebouw, having just dipped into my Art of Haitink box without looking). Superb in every way, tempos just right.

Karajan Berlin Phil 1978 Tauter than Haitink, wonderful playing, symphonic structure and argument...but a pity no first movement repeat, and third movement lacking a little je ne sais quoi

Furtwangler Berlin Phil. A one -off, an intense drama, not quite a library choice, more an amazing document.

Rattle Berlin Phil. Superb orchestra...but as in live VPO version, opening a little disappointing, and third movement too slow.

I also have:
Wand with NDR Symphony orchestra...bit dull
Koussevitsky with that same BSO years ago...not listened to that yet.

[amateur51]

Historical examples ....

Weingartner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9CMwVqpQdA

Ansermet 'live' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCvE2...eature=related

Reiner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30Vag0QZujQ

[amateur51]

Haintink in a conducting rehearsal of Brahms symphony no 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjMyx06nR5M

And 'live' at the Proms 2011 with COE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK4NcLcUH9o

[Parry1912]

Abbado for me, although I very much like Mackerras in this symphony.

[Belgrove]

Haitink with the COE at last year's Proms was a very special concert. The transparency achieved with the smaller orchestra provided a completely fresh perspective of this beautiful work. But there is rigour in Brahms, and Haitink struck the ideal interpretative balance between the logical development of the work and its innate lyricism. As indeed does Abbado with the BPO, the version I play most nowadays. Abbado's full cycle of the symphonies is enormously satisfying, the 3rd being the most wistful of the set. The playing is without fault. The Song of Destiny was the fill up on the disc, as I recall.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes to Furtwangler and I'd add its spiritual antipode, Bruno Walter: IMO the finest "Traditional" performances on record.

The Rattle is good, but no better (nor worse) than Karl Bohm in a much-overlooked set from the '70s on DG.

Loughran and the Hallé will always be special to me: the recording with which I learnt the piece - and very good it is, too.

And, yes, Haitink with the COE at last year's Proms was (as Belgrove perceptively put it) very special.

I don't know any HIPP recordings, so I shall watch this Thread with interest.

[Don Petter]

It's Walter for me, and specifically the earlier New York Philharmonic recordings. Taughter than his second, stereo set with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra.

The whole set is available for peanuts - snap it up!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Symphonies-n%C2%B0-Bruno-Walter/dp/B00020HCH2/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1342200940&sr=1-1

[JohnSkelton]

Yes to Furtwangler and I'd add its spiritual antipode, Bruno Walter: IMO the finest "Traditional" performances on record.

The Rattle is good, but no better (nor worse) than Karl Bohm in a much-overlooked set from the '70s on DG.

Loughran and the Hallé will always be special to me: the recording with which I learnt the piece - and very good it is, too.

And, yes, Haitink with the COE at last year's Proms was (as Belgrove perceptively put it) very special.

I don't know any HIPP recordings, so I shall watch this Thread with interest.

I have Norrington's LCP recording, which I like - it's on YouTube (I haven't heard the YouTube upload so don't know if it's OK)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GFC0RUXzFU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF81C5P-42s&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoYMd9wnZTI&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baEKepoE7OE&feature=relmfu

I thought Andrew Manze's set with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra good and illuminating, and on revisiting still do. Otherwise Abbado, yes, and COE / Berglund is excellent.

Are you sure about that Böhm recording, ferney? I used to have the box: thought they were slow and slumbrous performances.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Are you sure about that Böhm recording, ferney? I used to have the box: thought they were slow and slumbrous performances.

Well, I was!
I have them still on cassette; I shall hunt them out and give them another listen.

And thanks for the Norrington clips!

[amateur51]

I enjoyed the Norrington, JS - many thanks.

In return Beecham in America (Symphony of the Air 1957) - dreadful sound in tuttis but once you get past that, the vigour and the string & woodwind playing, in fact the whole damn thing is pretty amazing, especially Beecham's exhortations and singing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ks7rXfRx0&feature=related

[clive heath]

Just to mention, you can hear the recording by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter (recorded 1936) at

http://www.cliveheathmusic.co.uk/transcriptions_07.php

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Barbirolli with the Vienna Philharmonic is my preferred version. This was possibly the best in his late Brahms cycle, suiting the conductor's style.

[verismissimo]

For whatever reason I don't relate to this symphony as I do to 1, 2 and 4. I came to it after the others - with Karajan and then Furtwangler.

I listened to both of those prepping for the VPO with Rattle in Brum.

Now I've listened again to Kempe with the BPO in 1960. Good, it seems to me, but not special.

Maybe I should try Walter or Mackerras.

[Barbirollians]

RO did a review of this recently in Gramophone and came out for Abbado but he clearly thought very highly of Boult,Walter , Barbirolli, and most of all Furtwangler .

I think that lot are my favourite performances as well as the LSO/Jochum

[jayne lee wilson]

Why do so few here remember Dorati's Mercury cycle? The 3rd is one of the finest ever recorded, a fiercely expressive melding of modern orchestral power with a HIPPs avant-la-lettre crispness and energy. Of older classics, Walter/CSO and Szell rank high for me, but I've come to prefer chamber-orchestral Brahms, to wit the Mackerras SCO reading or better still the invariably overlooked Berglund/COE set, whose 3rd is highly inspired.

Lastly a word for the latest-comer to a distinguished history, Andrew Manze with the Norrkopping SO (CPO), a 3rd to fascinate, even provoke - but very rewarding on repeated listens. I may as well draw attention once again, shamelessly, to the review I posted some months back under the "New Brahms Recordings" thread...
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