Leonard Bernstein - Brahms: Complete Symphonies, Orchestral Works, Concertos (2004)

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Artist:
Title: Brahms: Complete Symphonies, Orchestral Works, Concertos
Year Of Release: 2004
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (tracks) / MP3 320 Kbps
Total Time: 05:04:42
Total Size: 1.4 Gb / 781 Mb
WebSite:

Tracklist:

CD 1

1. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: 1. Un poco sostenuto - Allegro
2. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: 2. Andante
3. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: 3. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
4. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: 4. Adagio - Allegro non troppo, ma con brio

CD 2
1. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73: 1. Allegro non troppo
2. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73: 2. Adagio non troppo - L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso
3. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73: 3. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto ma non assai - Tempo I
4. Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73: 4. Allegro con spirito

CD 3
1. Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90: 1. Allegro con brio
2. Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90: 2. Andante
3. Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90: 3. Poco Allegretto
4. Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90: 4. Allegro
5. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a

CD 4
1. Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98: 1. Allegro non troppo
2. Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98: 2. Andante moderato
3. Tragic Overture, in D minor, Op. 81

CD 5
1. Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77: 1. Allegro non troppo (Cadenza: Max Reger's Prelude in D minor, Op. 117, No. 6)
2. Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77: 2. Adagio
3. Concerto for violin, cello & orchestra in A minor ('Double'), Op. 102: 1. Allegro
4. Concerto for violin, cello & orchestra in A minor ('Double'), Op. 102: 2. Andante
5. Concerto for violin, cello & orchestra in A minor ('Double'), Op. 102: 3. Vivace non troppo

Performers:
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein (Conductor)
Gerhart Hetzel (Violin)
Gidon Kremer (Violin)

Bernstein can be a mixed bag, as anyone who listens to him will know. As others have said, his tendency to lead performances with slower tempo, overt emotionalism and dynamic extreme can put some people off, however the precision of the playing, the color of tone, the expressiveness and the glorious ability to convey richness, textural complexity and revelation of detail not otherwise available that he draw from his orchestras is nothing short of miraculous. In some orchestral works, especially symphonies, this somewhat extreme, certainly non-traditional and even brash approach doesn't come off really well, and sometimes his tempo choices are so slow as to become distracting.

This set is one of the finest set of performances Bernstein created with the VPO, and the music is very well served by this broad, emotional and extreme approach. Bernstein really brings out the emotional impact of these symphonies, not to mention the orchestral color and the beauty of Brahms's orchestration. All of the symphonies receive stellar performances with superb playing from the Vienna orchestra, one of the top 3 orchestras in the world, certainly during the 1970's and 80's.. Despite being early 80's digital, the sound is impressive, warm and full bodied without the fierce harshness that many of DG's other early 80's recordings had.