For Brahms Otto Klemperer is still the one for me after all these years, his 1956-1957 recordings of the symphonies with the Philharmonia Orchestra London are still unsurpassed as far as I'm concerned. I found the Chailly set above unconvincing, it sounded uninspired, tired to my ears - for want of a better description (not my forte).
I was looking for options to get these recordings and found a hybrid SACD set from 2015 from Japan. I wonder how the sound is on it. The Brahms symphonies I listen to now are Solti and Chicago for the first three and Carlos Kleiber for the fourth.
I certainly agree with Klemperer on Brahms... especially his recording of the 1st Symphony in Kingsway Hall. It's an absolute powerhouse, setting the bar so high I've never heard another preformance surpass it. Second to Klemperer, I like the analog set that Abbado recorded with various orchestras for Deutsche Grammophon in the mid-'70s.
Again...an example of that '60s Ormandy "sound" (in addition to the *always* lilting strings) providing for a good system workout. However, here, the use of the MTC make the Ode to Joy come-off like CAROLLERS; without any sense of the transcendent, "Teutonic" resolve -I think you can *only* get from a German (or even Viennese) rendering- in order to feel like you were brought to a surreal level by it.
Now playing the following CD, which arrived from across the pond a few months ago for a first listen ...
Interesting. I have nearly the same tape, but mine includes Beethoven's Eighth Symphony-- which makes it a very full tape running at 7.5 ips! I bought this new in 1971 when I subscribed to the Columbia House Tape Club. Catalog number on the tape is MQ-929.
I don't know this performance but I remember hearing back in the day that the single-disc issue of Ormandy's Beethoven Ninth was missing (a) repeat(s) in the Scherzo that was/were included in the three-sided version. Wonder if the tapes differ in that respect?
There are a few tracks that are a century old but MOT did a superb job in making them quite listenable ...
I have been too lazy to connect all the necessary gears to play my reels, i.e. outboard Dolby B/C NR and a few other things ...
I didn't know that! ...So I just now went to my LP shelves and pulled down the 7-LP box set of Ormandy's Beethoven cycle, along with the single-disc issue of the Ninth. Lo and behold: The second movement runs 13:44 in the box set version, but only 10:20 on the single-disc issue. Even worse for the single-disc issue, the third movement is split between sides 1 & 2. Horrors. Now I'll have to check out the tape and see if they used the truncated or full version of the second movement. I'll report back-- likely tomorrow. Perhaps "Daily Nightly" can check his copy as well. Thanks for this interesting tip!
I enjoy the Solti/CSO Brahms 1 and 2 very much. I think the BPO/Karajan 3rd from the 1960's that George P mentioned is great as well. And, Abbado/BPO in the 4th is right up near the top with me.
Cool. I ordered a cheap old copy of the Klemperer Brahms 2nd to see how I like it compared to Solti. I have the Abbado Berlin 4th you mention also but prefer the Kleiber after comparative listening.
I have had the Solti/CSO version for a number of years but really have not gone beyond the first pass ...
Yes, the Kleiber is a gem of a performance and recording. I think one of the reasons I respond to Klemperer so much (or, rather, it speaks to me) is that his absolute command of orchestral balance is always in play, and his obsession with proper ensemble dynamic structure clears out some of the "thickness" of Brahms' orchestration, making the lines and textures crystal clear. Also, his tempo choices seem to me to be perfectly suited.
Jean-Pierre Rampal R. Veyron Lacroix, piano Pierre Pasquier, viola Etenne Pasquier, cello cd3 from The complete Erato Recordings I. 1954-1963 2015 01 - (6:26) Serge Prokoviev: Sonata in D Major Op.94 1.Andantino 02 - (4:51) Serge Prokoviev Sonata in D Major Op.94 2,scherzo 03 - (3:43) Serge Prokoviev Sonata in D Major Op.94 3.Andante 04 - (6:45) Serge Prokoviev Sonata in D Major Op.94 4.Allegro Com Brio 05 - (6:20) Bohuslav Martinu: Sonata 1.Allegro Moderato 06 - (6:25) Bohuslav Martinu Sonata 2.Adagio 07 - (4:59) Bohuslav Martinu Sonata 3.Allegro Poco Moderato 08 - (4:31) Paul Hindemith: Sonata 1.Heiter Bewegt 09 - (4:15) Paul Hindemith Sonata 2.Sehr Longsam 10 - (4:11) Paul Hindemith Sonata 3.Sehr Lebhaft, Marsch 11 - (4:40) Albert Roussel: Trio in F Major Op.40 1.Allegro Grazioso 12 - (5:49) Albert Roussel Trio in F Major Op.40 2.Andante 13 - (4:10) Albert Roussel Trio in F Major Op.40 3.Allegro Non Troppo