Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

[DavidW]

I like Janowski, but I'm not an expert on the subject.

[Scarpia]

I like Janowski, but I'm not an expert on the subject.

Janowski/Pittsburgh is superb.  Kertesz/VPO is my favorite.

[jlaurson]

So, please join in - what are your current favs in these works and are there new releases that should be considered?  Thanks all - 

Eschenbach Brahms is a hell of a cycle... Brahms-channeled-as-Wagner.

But there is one cycle above all:


G.Wand
NDRSO
RCA
also avail. as download


and, surprise of the season, this one---which is as different as imaginable from Wand, and yet tremendous.

Simon Rattle
Berlin Phil
EMI
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2010/03/dip-your-ears-no-100.html

[Brian]

Dave, I don't think I've got any "cycles," but I have individual releases I love - a recent SACD with Marek Janowski and the Pittsburgh SO is great for Nos 2 and 3 (my own review is listed first at Amazon, which has some good Marketplace deals...), and my faves for No 4 are Kleiber/DG and Ormandy/Philly. I also am a big fan of Rafael Kubelik's cycle with the Bavarian Radio folks. And I have Nos 2 and 4 from the Wand cycle Jens so highly recommends, but haven't played them yet. Maybe something to listen to later this afternoon!

[SonicMan46]

Guys - thanks for all of the great responses - I was looking on Amazon this Sunday morning at the recommendations - I'm really impressed w/ Brian's review of the Janowski w/ the 2nd & 3rd; plus, two other reviewers that I respect there, including Scott Morrison, came in w/ 5* ratings for the same recording!  I also like the fact that Janowski's recordings are recent (in contrast to my Klemperer).

Curious for those into the 'older' cycles, does Wand really trump my Klemperer? I've had that one for a while - also still quite interested in that Eschenbach, just excellent reviews and on the bargain Virgin label - don't believe that I have anything w/ the Houston orchestra but they must be good (assume Brian has heard them?).

But thanks again - I'm sure many others just getting started w/ Brahms will be appreciative of these suggestions - Dave 

[jlaurson]

Curious for those into the 'older' cycles, does Wand really trump my Klemperer?

are you kidding me? we're talking "perpetual musical sunshine" (Wand) versus "wery serias musik-making" (Big K.)
And it's not that old, actually... in superb sound in the remastered version.

I rarely stop looking for perfect performances and have an unhealthy habit of doubling and quintupling up works that I already own. Rarely does a performance come by that is so outstanding, so immediately satisfying all my desires, that I stop looking for new or even different recordings of the works in question. Maurizio Pollini's rendition of the late Beethoven sonatas is one such performance (although it hasn't kept me from amassing some 20-plus versions of each of those sonatas), G.Wand's Brahms is another.

Incredibly musical, these four recordings (in great sound, now that they are remastered) exude a vitality that is beyond words. G.Wand is the ego-less conductor who disappears in the music making, leaving only Brahms and the listener. The result is a most thankful one, indeed. I am not suggesting you throw away your Abbado, Karajan, Walter and Boehm (the rest can probably go, though) - but these are the performances I always turn to, the ones that never disappoint me, no matter what mood I am in. That's more than I can say about most recordings.

This may sound like hyperbole - but except for the handful of people I know who don't rank this set atop their Brahms collections all others would agree that it isn't.

I've had that one for a while - also still quite interested in that Eschenbach, just excellent reviews and on the bargain Virgin label - don't believe that I have anything w/ the Houston orchestra but they must be good (assume Brian has heard them?).

But thanks again - I'm sure many others just getting started w/ Brahms will be appreciative of these suggestions - Dave 

Houston and Eschenbach have turned out some great recordings... http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=2383; my favorite being their Bach/Brahms Schoenberg arrangements.


Brahms, Symphonies 1 & 2,
Ac.Fstvl.Ovt., Haydn Variations,
Eschenbach / Houston SO


Brahms, Symphonies 3 & 4,
Alto Rhapsody, Tragic Overture,
Eschenbach / Houston SO

Not everyone's cup of tea, but if you like that kind of tea (strong, rich), it's very good.

[Scarpia]

Dave, I don't think I've got any "cycles," but I have individual releases I love - a recent SACD with Marek Janowski and the Pittsburgh SO is great for Nos 2 and 3 (my own review is listed first at Amazon, which has some good Marketplace deals...), and my faves for No 4 are Kleiber/DG and Ormandy/Philly. I also am a big fan of Rafael Kubelik's cycle with the Bavarian Radio folks. And I have Nos 2 and 4 from the Wand cycle Jens so highly recommends, but haven't played them yet. Maybe something to listen to later this afternoon!

That release of 2, 3 is the gem of the set (the others are also very fine, but don't reach the same level, in my opinion anyway).  I also have and love the Klieber 4.

At times like this I find myself outraged that two significant Brahms cycles have never been on CD (to my knowledge).  There is a Kubelik, Weiner Phiharmoniker set from 1959 or so on Decca, and a Maazel Cleveland from the mid 70's, also Decca.  I had the Maazel on Vinyl (no more) have seen the Kubelik/WPO on vinyl as well.   Think of some of the other Maazel Cleveland recordings from the same era (the Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, the Respighi Pines of Rome) and imagine what we may be missing.   And that any WPO recording from the late 50's has never been reissued boggles the mind!

[just Jeff]

Top item from a collector's pov.

[Bogey]

Excuse the repeat if I asked this question before....is this a decent Brahms' effort and which of Böhm's efforts is this?

[Scarpia]

Excuse the repeat if I asked this question before....is this a decent Brahms' effort and which of Böhm's efforts is this?

Judging by the artwork, it appears to be a recording from the late 50's.  Bohm recorded the Brahms symphonies with the WPO in the early 70's.

[SonicMan46]

After many years, I've been updating my collection of Violin Concertos by Beethoven & Brahms; for the latter have added the disc below left (terrific!) and in the mail the box set (right) which includes Thomas Zehetmair in that work - 


 

[Antoine Marchand]

After many years, I've been updating my collection of Violin Concertos by Beethoven & Brahms; for the latter have added the disc below left (terrific!) and in the mail the box set (right) which includes Thomas Zehetmair in that work - 


 

Interesting suggestion, Dave; I love the Brahms violin concerto. Thanks!

Some time ago, I did some comparisons among the versions in my collection and this was the result:

I have had a little marathon of Brahms violin concertos this weekend:

(1981)
Anne Sophie Mutter
Berliner Philarmoniker
Herbert von Karajan
Deutsche Grammophon

(1960)
David Oistrach
Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française
Otto Klemperer
EMI Classics

Borika van den Booren
Berliner Symphoniker
Eduardo Marturet
Brilliant Classics

(1989)
Thomas Zehetmair
Cleveland Orchestra
Christoph von Dohnányi
Teldec

(1974)
Henryk Szeryng
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Bernard Haitink
Philips

Listening to all of these discs between last night and this morning, I have discovered -with some suprise- that my favorite version has been Oistrakh [alhtough the cover showed below says "Oistrakh", my copy with the same cover says "Oistrach"]/ Klemperer, although previously I had said Szeryng/ Haitink. Several soloists are excellent, but Klemplerer provides a superb orchestral accompaniment.

I also listened to Nathan Milstein, but the result was the same. 

[SonicMan46]

Interesting suggestion, Dave; I love the Brahms violin concerto. Thanks!

Some time ago, I did some comparisons among the versions in my collection and this was the result:

I also listened to Nathan Milstein, but the result was the same. 

Antoine - thanks for the comments and quote (probably saw your post back then) - I have the Milstein in Brahms/Beethoven and David Oistrach in other composers - will take a look at the latter's offerings in the Brahms concerto.  Dave 

[Taneyev]

Top item from a collector's pov.
For some reason, Martzy vinyls are all collector's items.
That shown in the pictures, if on a very good or mint condition, can reach 3 figures. I don't understand why. She was a good violinist, but not an extraordinary one like Neveu or Hendel. Her German DG first editions can cost 4 figures.

[Drasko]

Excuse the repeat if I asked this question before....is this a decent Brahms' effort and which of Böhm's efforts is this?

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,15508.20.html

[Scarpia]

Has been issued by Australian Eloquence and German Eloquence.





There is also a Mono Brahms 2 with Berlin on DG from 1956.

[Sergeant Rock]

At times like this I find myself outraged that two significant Brahms cycles have never been on CD (to my knowledge).  There is a Kubelik, Weiner Phiharmoniker set from 1959 or so on Decca, and a Maazel Cleveland from the mid 70's, also Decca.  I had the Maazel on Vinyl (no more)....

I share your outrage. Although I still have the vinyl



I'd love to have Maazel's Brahms on CD also....to join Szell and Dohnányi's Cleveland cycles on my shelf.

Sarge

[Scarpia]

I share your outrage. Although I still have the vinyl



I'd love to have Maazel's Brahms on CD also....to join Szell and Dohnányi's Cleveland cycles on my shelf.

Sarge

Yes, that was the LP set I had, but the pressings were poor and I ended up selling them when I switched over from LP to CD.   

[Drasko]

Has been issued by Australian Eloquence and German Eloquence.

I have the German one, it's the evil amsi

At times like this I find myself outraged that two significant Brahms cycles have never been on CD (to my knowledge).  There is a Kubelik, Weiner Phiharmoniker set from 1959 or so on Decca, and a Maazel Cleveland from the mid 70's, also Decca.  I had the Maazel on Vinyl (no more) have seen the Kubelik/WPO on vinyl as well.   Think of some of the other Maazel Cleveland recordings from the same era (the Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, the Respighi Pines of Rome) and imagine what we may be missing.   And that any WPO recording from the late 50's has never been reissued boggles the mind!

Kubelik is partially available from Japan, can't recall if all of it was at any time.
http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/3618513

Maazel has been out on Scribendum, but I'm not sure if they actually exist any more.
http://www.silveroakmusic.com/sc006.html

[Scarpia]

I have the German one, it's the evil amsi

Bummer.  It's an older one and it doesn't have the amsi logo on the front like the recent Eloquence releases do.   I was hoping that was before they had that brilliant idea.