Brahms: The Symphonies [Box set]

Johannes Brahms (Composer), Georg Solti (Conductor), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Georg Solti
• Composer: Johannes Brahms
• Audio CD (February 11, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0000041Z5
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,668 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #12 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > General Modern
  • #14 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > General AAS
  • #27 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Symphonies > General

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 11-FEB-1992

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

126 of 131 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bass-ically Superb, September 15, 2000

By 

Rich Yampell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brahms: The Symphonies (Audio CD)

I used to like Brahms a lot. Lately I've been listening to this set, particularly the 1st Symphony, and my opinion has changed. Now I am in absolute awe of him. Why has this collection changed my mind? In one word: bass. The low register instruments, especially the basses and cellos, stand strongly in these recordings, and the result is I'm discovering a *lot* of depth to the composition that had escaped me before. Brahms turns out to be a much better composer than other recordings had let me discover before. In certain passages, I focus totally on the low strings, just to see what they're up to, and I'm richly rewarded. Then I go back to some of my previous Brahms' recordings, and I can barely hear the same wonderful passages. Very disappointing!

Aside from the wonderful mix, everything else is quite fine. The tempos are crisp, the orchestra sounds magnificent, just right on.

Finally, Solti should NOT be commended for including the exposition repeats. Instead, other conductors should be cursed and shunned for ever omitting them.

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get This Set!!!!, January 17, 2002

By 

DWPC (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brahms: The Symphonies (Audio CD)

There may be argument among Brahms afficienados whether these Solti/Chicago sessions were the pinnacle of the performing of the Brahms Symphonies, but as a package, this 4 disk set is a superb investment for any Brahms lover.

First, the recording quality is absolutely superb. I have few, if any, other orchestral cds that provide such a soundstage and dynamics. All sections are well balanced. Background noise is totally absent; the orchestra comes out of a black velvet silence. I don't know whether this was studio or auditorium recorded, but the acoustics are first rate. Its a great example of the "golden days" of recording.

Second, all the performances are excellent and one would need to do a close comparison to evaluate whether Solti should take a backseat to anyone as an interpreter of Brahms' orchestral music. His use of the full dynamic range of the orchestra is masterful. He lays a strong foundation for Brahms wonderfully melodic work in the lower registers of the strings and woodwinds.

This set has become one of my favorites, and the 3rd Symphony disk is now the orchestral "show off" disk for my equipment.

60 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Recordings of the Man Brahms, February 20, 2001

By 

Trevor Gillespie "sol_man" (San Jose, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brahms: The Symphonies (Audio CD)

As with most of my reviews, I must comment on the sound. London/Decca has nearly perfected how to make great sounding recordings. These discs, recorded in the late 70s are a great demonstration of the "Decca Sound" which I am such an adamant fan of. For a recording to be great, it has to start off with adequate sound to detail the music. Here the recorded sound is excellent--has good presence, full detail from highs to lows, and spacious.

Two factors go into my rating of 5 stars. First, the price. Seeing that this is an affordable box set, it instantly becomes favorable. Full price box sets of 4 discs are around $60. The favorable price of the set coupled with the performances make this box set attractive enough to rate it 5 stars. Solti turns in some great performance of Brahms' symphonies. Solti favors a full orchestra with thicker textures rather the lighter and thinner orchestras of say a Mackerras recording. I enjoy the full orchestra with a beefier string section. The tempos of the symphonies are well within range of most other recordings. There aren't really any big surprises in these recordings, which can often make them not stand out in a crowded bin of Brahms recordings. However, that doesn't mean they are bad performances. Now, if one was to buy individual recordings of each symphony, there are performances which truly stand out, but this set has to be seen as a collective and overall this set is great. Whether you're a fan of the symphonies of Brahms, or the conducting style of George Solti, you'll find that these are fine recordings with enough flair to keep you interested. One note for comparison, all 4 Brahms symphonies are available on 2 discs recorded by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic. They are cheaper and a little bit more spirted than this box set if you're all about price.