Johannes Brahms, Philharmonia Orchestra, Christa Ludwig, Philharmonia Chorus, Otto Klemperer - EMI Great Recordings of Century - Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4/Klemperer

Not a weakness in the whole set

This has long been one of my very favorite Brahms cycles. It is one of the few complete cycles that has absolutely no low points, and the Alto-Rhapsody is the best I've heard. All of the overtures are also splendid. Other stereo cycles to consider would be Kertesz, Walter or the Levine/VPO, while Furtwangler and Weingartner are leading contenders of the mono cycles. Of the stereo cycles, the Kertesz and Levine are both out of print. That leaves this set and Bruno Walter's, of which while I prefer Walter's 1st and 2nd, I think Klemperer is superior on 3 & 4. Both sets have wonderful renditions of the overtures, but Klemperer's Alto-Rhapsody with Christa Ludwig is perhaps the best on record. For those of you who prefer a more straight-laced approach, Szell's cycle is also very good, in particular the 1st and 3rd. March 15, 2008

A Unique Brahms Interpreter

Klemperer's Brahms is not for those who prefer gemütlichkeit to cogency. If geniality is your highest priority, try Bruno Walter's stereo cycle with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (*not* his altogether tougher monaural cycle with the NYPO). Klemperer was never one to play to the gallery, and so here. Arguably, he probes more deeply beyond the surface consolations of these scores than any other conductor, save for Fürtwängler. By carefully respecting the composer's markings, elucidating his densely contrapuntal textures, and appreciating his introverted temperament (are there any 19th century symphonies *less* flashy than these?), Klemperer succeeds in revealing just how much more there is to this music than usually meets the ear. His interpretation of the c minor has long been on a short list of preferred versions (its thunderous opening surely is imposing), but I find the Second and Third symphonies to be if anything even finer. Both works--yes, even the D major--are haunted by a spirit of melancholy that is only just kept at bay (and which ultimatly crashes the party in the Fourth Symphony), and Klemperer has the rare knack of holding euphonic text and angst-laden subtext in tension. You won't probably be thrilled by these performances as you might by Toscanini or Fürtwängler--but you will be edified and enriched by them. Glorious playing from the Philharmonia (particularly the winds), superb recording, and an unforgettable *Alto Rhapsody* with Ludwig make this set a first choice, at least for introverts like me. August 31, 2007

Not sure what all the fuss is about.

For me this set of Brahms is ho-hum. It is average, but nothing special. I feel the same way about Herbert von Kajaran's interpretation of Brahms. Brahms is without a doubt my favorite composer and I have heard many versions of his symphonies. For my tastes, the London Philharmonic's sound has always been too thin for Brahms. The only time I liked the London Philharmonic performing Brahms was Antal Dorati's set on Mercury Living Presence.
I prefer the rich and warm sound of the Berlin Philharmonic. The set of symphonies that Claudio Abbado released on DG in the 1990's has taken top honors for me. Most of the previous traversals with the Berliners (i.e. von Karajan) have taken the tempos too slow for my tastes.
As far as I'm concerned you can do much better elsewhere: Abbado, Szell, and Dorati - heck even Bruno Walter's set with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra is better than this presentation. September 15, 2006

Five stars +

Klemperer is one of my favourites, probably because I got to know Mahler through him. For me this is the best Brahms symphonies cycle yet. The tempos are well judged as always and the Philharmonia at top form as always under Klemperer. I feel that the 4th is the gem of this cycle unsurpassed in every aspect. Along with the German Requiem again with Klempeper and the Philharmonia I find these CDs the best Brahms orchestral music on the market. November 13, 2005

Karajan or Klemperer in Brahms?

Otto Klempeerer owes his late career in London and on EMI records to von Karajan. Since its founding in 1949, the Philharmonia Orch. was closely allied with Karajan, who built it up as his own career took off after the war. But when Furtwangler died in 1954 and his arch-rvial Karajan took over the Berlin Phil., the impressario of the Philharmonia, Walter Legge, knew that he neeeded a new stellar conductor or his orchestra would fail. He chose Klemperer, then almost forgotten and already past 65 when he made his initial appearances in London in 1951.

Legge's gamble paid off. Klemperer became the darling of London critics and audiences, and his performance style--measured, serious, with impeccable integrity--became the standard in Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Brahms. He cared little for beauty of osund, smooth phrasing, or stylistic refinement. Words like "granitic" and "primordial" were used regularly.

Is he the antithesis of Karajan, who valued everything that Klemperer disdained? Listening to these Brahms symphony recordings in improved sound, I think the Klemperer vs. Karajan debate isn't all that valid. These four symphonies aren't granitic or primordial, nor are they particularly slow. In fact, the first movement of the Second moves lightly, as does the finale of the Fourth. If anything, Karajan's presentation is more massive and imposing in every symphony. The main difference begins with Klemperer's steady pace, which he tends to hold without allowing the phrase to be molded as flexibly as Karajan.

Karajan made two complete Brahms cycles for DG, the latter in digital sound. He was undoubtedly a great Brahms conductor, but so was Klemperer. Here the Philharmonia sounds sharp and alert and not very big in number, while Karajan's Berlin forces sound sumptuous and huge.

These two giants had no peer in Brahms from the death of Toscanini to the present day, excepting occasional recordings by Giulini, Bernstein, and perhaps in today's market, Harnoncourt. Some would also rank bruno Walter's two Brahms cycles at this exalted level, but for me only the mono one with the NY Phil., now available on a Sony import, qualifies, and besides the inadequate sonics, the orchestra does not play as beautifully as what we hear in this set. It's great to have Klemperer's classic set, which is totally free of eccentricity, back in such good sound. Five stars without a doubt. September 29, 2005

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