Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62187 in Music
• Released on: 2008-09-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .27 pounds
• Running time: 74 minutes

CD Description
Following on from John Eliot Gardiner's critically acclaimed recordings of the symphonies of Beethoven and Schumann, SDG are proud to be releasing the first disc in a new series exploring the music of Johannes Brahms. Recorded live during last autumn's Brahms and his antecedents tour, and showcasing the four symphonies as well as Brahms' major choral works, this series is an important milestone for SDG heralding the development of the label beyond the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the Renaissance choral repertoire which have so far dominated its catalogue. The first release in the series coincides with the second part of Gardiner's project, which will be touring extensively in Europe in the autumn. (See tour calendar below). Brahms' large-scale music is brimful of vigour, drama and a driving passion - says John Eliot Gardiner in his introductory notes. One way to release these characteristics is, for the conductor, to set his symphonies in the context of his own superb and often neglected choral music, and that of the old masters he particularly cherished and studied (Schutz and Bach especially) and of recent heroes of his (Mendelssohn, Schubert and Schumann). ''This way'', says Gardiner, ''we are able to gain a new perspective on his symphonic compositions, drawing attention to the intrinsic vocality at the heart of his writing for orchestra''. Composing such substantial choral works as Schicksalslied, which also features on this release, gave Brahms invaluable experience of orchestral writing years before he brought his first symphony to fruition. Solemnity, pathos, terror and jubilation are all experienced and encapsulated before they come to a head in the finale of the first symphony.

Customer Reviews

Una splendida cattedrale di suoni
Suonando Brahms con strumenti d'epoca Gardiner ci introduce in un universo sonoro sorprendente: la chiarezza del fraseggio e la dovizia di timbri permettono di recepire la straordinaria tessitura sonora che il compitore tedesco ordisce nelle sue sinfonie. Eliminato il vibrato enfatico delle orchestre tradizionali, il direttore inglese ci permette di cogliere la complessa personalità di Brahms, in cui le componenti romantiche coesistono con istanze classicheggianti e con il recupero di forme arcaiche. Anche se preferisco la prima sinfonia brahmsiana interpretata da Harnoncourt con i Berliner, devo dire che questo cd è consigliato a chi cerca strade interpretative alternative rispetto a quelle tradizionali (Karajan)