Brahms' Third Symphony

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Hi,
Brahms' Third is one of my favorite symphonies. I enjoyed reading this comparison of recordings on the Gramophone website.

I'm glad to see a positive mention of Haitink's first recording in that survey. I recently picked it up, and found it excellent all around. Just like his 2nd, which I found equally excellent. If 1 and 4 are this good, then that's an awesome cycle!

[Que]

I'm glad to see a positive mention of Haitink's first recording in that survey. I recently picked it up, and found it excellent all around. Just like his 2nd, which I found equally excellent. If 1 and 4 are this good, then that's an awesome cycle!

It is an awesome cycle!

Q

[amw]

When I got my first ever Brahms three-quarter cycle at age 10 No. 3 became my immediate favourite of the lot, and possibly still is. (I liked the last movement best, I think.) If you trust the judgment of a 10-year-old, that cycle was Jochum/LPO on EMI. (Symphonies 1-3 and the overtures in the release I picked up, I don't know if he did a 4.)

[Marc]

When I got my first ever Brahms three-quarter cycle at age 10 No. 3 became my immediate favourite of the lot, and possibly still is. (I liked the last movement best, I think.) If you trust the judgment of a 10-year-old, that cycle was Jochum/LPO on EMI. (Symphonies 1-3 and the overtures in the release I picked up, I don't know if he did a 4.)

Yes, he did.

http://www.amazon.com/Symphony-German-Requiem-Johannes-Brahms/dp/B000002SEV/

And in the mono era:

http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-4-Symphonies-Johannes/dp/B000001GS0/

It is an awesome cycle!

It is!
And his Boston recordings are very good, too!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

And his Boston recordings are very good, too!

Yes, I agree. The Boston cycle is an underrated gem. The quality is on the high side no question.

Unfortunately the timing was all wrong for this cycle. By the time of its release Philips's Haitink/Concertgebouw marketing machine was in full swing and most likely the only folks interested in the Boston cycle were fans of the Boston Symphony.

Then more recently of course came the LSO cycle and I can still remember all the hype and marketing surrounding that cycle.

So wedged in-between those two high-profile cycles the Boston cycle simply sank without a trace.

Shame because it really is a cycle of distinction.   

[NJ Joe]

It is great to read the positive comments about Haitink's Boston cycle.  I've owned the Boston 4th for many years and have always enjoyed it, however, due to rarely (if ever) hearing mention of the cycle I always figured it to be unpopular. I'm now interested in obtaining the remaining symphonies.

[Jay F]

After reading so many good things about Haitink's Boston Brahms cycle, I just acquired Nos. 2, 3, and 4 (No. 1 is considerably more expensive than the rest).

[NJ Joe]

After reading so many good things about Haitink's Boston Brahms cycle, I just acquired Nos. 2, 3, and 4 (No. 1 is considerably more expensive than the rest).

Yes, I noticed that too.

[Jay F]

RE Haitink:

And his Boston recordings are very good, too!

Thanks, Marc. I bought all of these on Amazon Marketplace and am enjoying them more than any Brahms symphony cycle I've heard before.

[asin]B00000E4SU[/asin]

[Herman]

Yes, I agree. The Boston cycle is an underrated gem. The quality is on the high side no question.

Unfortunately the timing was all wrong for this cycle. By the time of its release Philips's Haitink/Concertgebouw marketing machine was in full swing and most likely the only folks interested in the Boston cycle were fans of the Boston Symphony.

Then more recently of course came the LSO cycle and I can still remember all the hype and marketing surrounding that cycle.

So wedged in-between those two high-profile cycles the Boston cycle simply sank without a trace.

Shame because it really is a cycle of distinction.

The Boston cycle is perhaps the best Brahms cycle Haitink did, ore mature than the Amsterdam RCO cycle, and more together and compellign than the LS. Don't forget the 2nd Piao Concerto with Emmanuel Ax and the Boston / Haitink on Sony, it's integral to the cycle, imo.

I think Haitink's Boston cycle didn't get that much praise because the BSO was supposed to be in bad shape at the time. People listened to the records with a preconceived idea.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Don't forget the 2nd Piao Concerto with Emmanuel Ax and the Boston / Haitink on Sony, it's integral to the cycle, imo.

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

[amw]

I knew a thread like this existed! (I even posted in it, wow)

If anyone has suggestions for other Brahms 3s to investigate, let me know.

From the suggestions in this thread I will listen to
Walter/Columbia (I know Walter/NYPO, which is generally excellent but a bit too fast in the last movement)
Krauss
one of the Furtwänglers, if I can figure out which one is which (the ones on Qobuz aren't tagged by recording date, but there's one on Audite [duplicated on a few other labels], another on Urania, possibly more)
Levine
Haitink/Boston
Böhm/Vienna
Dohnányi/Philharmonia (I liked their No. 2 quite a bit)
Harding
Abbado/Berlin
possibly Klemperer or Karajan/Vienna but not sure yet

[Brian]

Levine

There are two Levines - Chicago and Vienna - I haven't heard Vienna, but I love Chicago - still, be safe and try both

Thinking Abbado/Berlin may be my current favorite, but Levine/Chicago is close.

[Drasko]

Krauss

The Krauss has been posted complete on youtube recently:

https://www.youtube.com/v/M6G_ozRlsPs

[(poco) Sforzando]

Levine

If it's recent Levine, I'd avoid it like the plague. I heard him do it live with the Met Orchestra at Carnegie a few years ago, and he dragged out the thing to the point of statis.

[Karl Henning]

If it's recent Levine, I'd avoid it like the plague. I heard him do it live with the Met Orchestra at Carnegie a few years ago, and he dragged out the thing to the point of statis.

When the doctor commanded "less activity," Jimmy interpreted it as not excluding his conductorly routine ....

[jochanaan]

When the doctor commanded "less activity," Jimmy interpreted it as not excluding his conductorly routine ....

[Jo498]

If it's recent Levine, I'd avoid it like the plague. I heard him do it live with the Met Orchestra at Carnegie a few years ago, and he dragged out the thing to the point of statis.

Neither recording is recent; the RCA (Chicago) is from the (late)? 1970s, the DG (Vienna) is from around 1990, or maybe mid-nineties. I do not remember the third in particular, but overall they are comparably fleet performances, maybe even "erring" in the other direction, that is, too much Toscaninian brio and not enough "autumnal warmth".

[amw]

There are two Levines - Chicago and Vienna - I haven't heard Vienna, but I love Chicago - still, be safe and try both

I'll check to see which one was mentioned in the thread. Might also listen to other random recordings as the mood strikes, though.

Also I may or may not post mini-reviews in here for as long as my brain is still interested in listening to different interpretations of brahms 3 and can tell the differences between them.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Neither recording is recent; the RCA (Chicago) is from the (late)? 1970s, the DG (Vienna) is from around 1990, or maybe mid-nineties. I do not remember the third in particular, but overall they are comparably fleet performances, maybe even "erring" in the other direction, that is, too much Toscaninian brio and not enough "autumnal warmth".

The one I heard in 2012 or so was less "autumnal warmth" than "hot summer nap." I don't know if I've simply evolved, or Levine has gotten more somnolent in Romantic repertoire over the years, probably a combination. But the last "live" (I used the word ironically) Ring Cycle I heard from him at the Met was so soporific I thought it a huge waste of money, and when he had to bow out of Parsifal I was delighted; at least there's a chance we'll get someone with a pulse.

And yet he also did a helluva job conducting an Ives and Carter program around this same time.