Brahms: The Symphonies /Harnoncourt

Weird. Nikolaus Harnoncourt's ideas are almost always interesting and provocative, but over many hearings I find these performances do not wear all that well. The problem with being a critic is that you always crave the novelty of a fresh approach, and Harnoncourt certainly offers that. But there are just too many moments of uncomfortable sounding ensemble, strange phrasing, and most importantly, a blunting of the music's few really important climaxes. If you know the music well and want something different, then it's hard to deny Harnoncourt's conviction. It just leaves a very funny aftertaste. --David Hurwitz Amazon.com

Mind-blowing!

This is my favorite performance of the 4th symphony, by far. It'll knock your socks off, for sure. The third symphony is equally amazing, and probably also my favorite performance of the work. The second symphony might seem a bit odd at first, a couple moments in the second movement especially. There are a couple odd at first moments in the second and third movements of the first movement, but nothing is done in ignorance or by accident. Everything works out very well. All of these performances rock, they're amazing. February 24, 2004

always interesting, not always convincing

harnoncourt has made a fabulous second career for himself by bringing the "original music" approach to "modern music" such as beethoven, schubert and brahms. i thoroughly enjoyed this set, most of all because the strongly analytic handling of ensemble, dramatic changes in tempi and dynamics, and unusual choices of string bowings all changed my expectations of what brahms should sound like and what brahms actually wrote. these performances wouldn't be my first pick for a full on brahms experience (try the new abbado, or klemperer), but they are deeply interesting to listen to. the sound is excellent, and the berlin philharmonic plays at a consistently high level of commitment.

it's worth mention that the berlin philharmonic has become a very young, international orchestra, and to this crew harnoncourt brought his stupendous scholarship and depth of musicianship -- he even sang to them the chorale in brahms' academic festival overture, so they'd get the musical joke it contains. harnoncourt's restless musical intellect is probably a major reason why this orchestra and their resident conductor claudio abbado wanted to tackle beethoven's symphonies in a new way -- in the cycle they released this year.

folks who like this cycle may also want to check out the mackerras recordings with the scottish symphony -- also very innovative, interesting, and full of musical insights. December 18, 2001

An Underrated Great Brahms Symphony Cycle

Nikolaus Harnoncourt's latest archaeological excursion into classical music is a mixed blessing, but one where its virtues outweigh its flaws. I commend Grammophone's Guide to Classical CDs for rating Harnoncourt's Brahms symphony cycle as definitive. Here he has gone back to Brahms' original scores, offering invigoratingly fresh perspectives on Brahms' symphonies. Furthermore, he's emphasized 19th Century performance practices that have gone out of fashion, such as playing multiple notes with the single stroke of a string musician's bow. For example, Harnoncourt's reading of Brahms' 2nd Symphony is the most introspective I've heard, without the lush, warm sounds of the string, woodwind, and horn sections that I've come to expect after hearing mesmerizing, emotionally stirring, versions from Bernstein, Haitink and Masur. There are other instances where Harnoncourt's conducting is idiosyncratic, but oddly compelling, throughout this CD set. Of course the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's playing is first rate, yet it is noted more for its brilliance than for any warmth. And Teldec once again records live performances that are as well balanced as any studio recording. If you are willing to take the plunge and hear a distinctive, novel view of Brahms, then I strongly recommend acquiring Harnoncourt's cycle. May 15, 2001

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