Brahms: Serenade No. 2 / Haydn Variations / Hungarian Dances- selections

Johannes Brahms (Composer), Michael Tilson Thomas (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas
• Composer: Johannes Brahms
• Audio CD (January 10, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000027IW
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,811 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Serenade for orchestra No. 2 in A major, Op. 16: 1. Allegro moderato

2. Serenade for orchestra No. 2 in A major, Op. 16: 2. Scherzo. Vivace - Trio

3. Serenade for orchestra No. 2 in A major, Op. 16: 3. Adagio non troppo

4. Serenade for orchestra No. 2 in A major, Op. 16: 6. Quasi Menuetto - Trio

5. Serenade for orchestra No. 2 in A major, Op. 16: 5. Rondo. Allegro

6. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Chorale St. Antoni. Andante

7. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 1. Poco più animato

8. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 2. Più vivace

9. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 3. Con moto

10. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 4. Andante con moto

11. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 5. Vivace

12. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 6. Vivace

13. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 7. Grazioso

14. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Variation 8. Presto non troppo

15. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for orchestra in B flat major (St. Anthony Variations), Op. 56a: Finale. Andante

16. Hungarian Dances (21) for orchestra, WoO 1: No. 1 in G minor. Allegro molto

17. Hungarian Dances (21) for orchestra, WoO 1: No. 3 in F major. Allegretto

18. Hungarian Dances (21) for orchestra, WoO 1: No. 10 in F major. Presto

19. Hungarian Dances (21) for orchestra, WoO 1: No. 17 in F sharp minor. Andantino

20. Hungarian Dances (21) for orchestra, WoO 1: No. 18 in D major. Molto vivace

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I Understand, April 21, 2001

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brahms: Serenade No. 2 / Haydn Variations / Hungarian Dances- selections (Audio CD)

With all due respect to Brahms, let me begin by shifting gears and saying that this is my first CD by conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. Recently, I have heard rave reviews about his Stravinsky and Copland collections, but I have never bought them because I have enough CDs of "Rite Of Spring" and "Appalachian Spring." But comparing this Brahms disc's performances of "Variations on a Theme by Haydn" to Szell's, and the "Hungarian Dances" to recordings by both Ormandy and Dorati, I can see why people get excited over Michael Tilson Thomas. The disc's centerpiece "Serenade No. 2," which is for small orchestra, is absolutely beautiful. The next time Thomas brings the San Francisco Symphony to town, I'll be there!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A tricky work and MTT misfires, September 21, 2005

By 

Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brahms: Serenade No. 2 / Haydn Variations / Hungarian Dances- selections (Audio CD)

As with his recording of the First Serenade, this one feels lackluster. The darker orchestration of the Second Serenade, and the predominance of tempos that are much the same--just short of allegro moderato--make it hard to dramatize or enliven this piece unless the conductor has a great deal of feeling for Brahms. MTT doesn't, to my ears, and so I put this CD near the bottom of my list.

2 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not One of Brahms' More Memorable Works But Great Sound Quality!, June 5, 2006

By 

Frederick Baptist (Singapore) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brahms: Serenade No. 2 / Haydn Variations / Hungarian Dances- selections (Audio CD)

This DDD mastered disc sounds very good as far as classical cds go and I don't doubt the pedigree of MTT and the LSO but I do question the choice of material which although is good and yet is not great and it leaves me wondering why one would assemble such great talent to cover this and not some other better Brahms work. Rather forgettable cd and not really worth the dough. Save your money for the MTT versions of Stravinsky instead.