Customer Reviews

Brahms: The Symphonies

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Yes, much of Furtwangler's Brahms is amazing, as is Walter's, and Klemperer's First and Second. But this Solti Brahms set has been unfairly maligned ever since it was released. Like this wonderful cycle, itself, the Solti/Chicago recordings of the Brahms symphonies deserve more credit than they get. All things considered, this is one of the best Brahms cycles going, especially as a budget-priced offering. Those looking to purchase an inexpensive Brahms Symphony cycle without having to buy individual discs cannot go wrong with this set. The performances are solid and not lacking in excitement, especially in thrilling moments like the final codas of the First, Second, and Fourth.

The recordings have been maligned for being too "boomy," but I disagree. I think that the full, weighty, well-rounded, bass response of these recordings is just right for Brahms, whose orchestral sound starts from the bottom, up. The fullness of these recordings gives weight and fullness to the brass, timpani, and low strings, but the "late analog" sound still has enough clarity to give plenty of crispness in climactic moments. I think that people who think these recordings are too "bass heavy," have become to used to hearing ineffectively thin recordings of Brahms symphonies: for example, while I enjoy many of Karajan's recorded performances (and his 1978 Brahms' Second might be my favorite recording of that symphony) I will concede that most of his Brahms' recordings sound too thin to give full weight to Brahms' orchestral sound. Brahms' wonderful symphonies are warm, passionate, full-blooded works, and they need well-rounded recordings to fully reveal their beauty. Furtwangler knew that Brahms' sound needed to have a firm foundation of bass, and while Solti's phrasing may not be as flexible as Furtwangler's, the orchestral sound on these recordings seems to have exactly the right depth and fullness for Brahms.

I found the depth of these recordings to be a pleasant surprise in an era when the Chicago SO's sound was known for being on the "blary" side. I don't always like Solti's recordings, but I don't think these performaces can be faulted, unless one doesn't like his observance of the exposition repeats in these symphonies. Furtwangler's Brahms is undoubtedly great but I think that most people - who haven't been listening to Brahms for 20 years - may not respond very positively to the "vintage" of his recordings, or his somewhat histrionic style.

This Brahms Symphonies set with Sir Georg Solti/Chicago Symphony is one of Solti's better recordings in Chicago. Recorded in 1979, just before the Digital age and technology took over, these are beautiful, smooth and creamy recordings with rich bass and nice mid range. Solti is intense but never driven, and he knows just how much intensity to put into Brahms without over-driving him and making the music become melodramatic or vulgar. The sound London's engineers got in these recordings is better than for the Solti/Chicago Beethoven Symphonies recorded earlier that decade, 1972-74.

The Chicago Symphony under Solti was "HOT" in recording sales during the 1970s. I was in college from 1977-81, and all the brass and woodwind players raved about Chicago's recordings of Strauss, Mahler, and other composers which were currently being released. I especially recall a flute player who was estatic because she received three Solti/Chicago LPs for Christmas gifts one year. The brass and woodwinds are often emphasized in many Solti/Chicago recordings, with the strings less prominent than some orchestras; but here the balance is very equal where needed, and the brass do yeoman service in the passages most needed, such as the running figures at the end of Symphony 2:IV.

Solti does take alot of repeats, especially in Symphony 2:I, which makes this movement several minutes longer than most recordings. And he isn't afraid to take his time - tempos aren't too fast, and never feel driven: not always the case in a Solti recording. I of Symphony 1 and Symphony 3 also have repeats, thus making these movements longer than in recordings of Bruno Walter or George Szell.

The companion works, Academic Festival Overture and Tragic Overture are also excellent in every way, recalling Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony (Sony), who recorded these works in stereo 20 years before Solti/Chicago.

While I'm not very fond of Solti doing Mahler (escept for #8, wow) he really pulls every detail out of the masterful Brahms symphonies. The Chicago Symphony is wonderful and the sound for a 30 year year old recording is phenomenal. I'm not going to draw out this review as you can clearly see by the rest of the reviews that this is a marvelous set and to sell it for only 30 bucks seems criminal. Buy it. Now. I'm serious.

I'll make this simple. If your interested in a great set of the four Brahms symphonies pick this up immediately. Great sound(late analogue warmth), terrific performances(Solti and Chicago are sturdy as always), and an extremely low price.

This set has several distinct advantages over some of the others out there. For starters each symphony occupies its own cd. Sounds simple enough but I'm quickly tiring of sets that split up symphonies under 80 minutes long just to pack each cd to the brink. Nothing's worse than having a complete symphony and half of another on one cd and the other half of the second symphony on disc number 2. No sense switching discs to listen to one work unless that work is over 80 mintues long(ie- Mahler). I'm also getting sick of sets that couple insequential symphonies together to fill up discs(ie- symphonies number 1 and 4 on one disc). I like to listen in sequential order.

This set allows that. One symphony per disc. Discs two and three each have an overture to fill up some time and that's fine since both are after the symphony. I mentioned it early but the price issue is also huge. Sure, you could buy Abbado's Berlin set which is great but be ready to shell out over $120(!) on Amazon. You'll get a couple of additional short works with that set but come on. Is it worth another $100 or so? Your call but I'd say no way.
Pick this up for around $20 and be assured that your getting quality Brahms at a great price.

Sir Georg Solti was one of the great champions of music of the Romantic era. This set is an outstanding example of why that reputation survives his death. London records and the Chicago Symphony under Solti set a standard for clear and precise sound. It is lavish. Having wallowed in numerous other sets of the Brahms symphonies, I was amazed at how details leaped out in these performances. Brahms' genius is heard to greater advantage here than in any other version of the four symphonies. Solti developed the Chicago into probably the finest orchestra of the last 30 years, at least for the 19th century repertoire. Abetted by this stellar ensemble, his interpretations are intelligent, passionate and brilliantly executed. There is more substance than in von Karajan's versions, better sound than in Abbado's original set for DGG - which featured four different European orchestras and has been one of the finest sets, and more insight than even Szell and the Cleveland displayed. As a bonus, Solti plays the Tragic and Academic Festival Overtures with characteristic aplomb. This is one of the immortal recordings of Brahms' epic symphonies and very reasonably priced.

This set gives the lie to claims that Sir Georg Solti always played up technical brilliance and superficial excitement above all else. The sound of the Chicago Symphony is so ripe and Germanic, you'd think you were listening to the Vienna Philharmonic or Statskapelle Dresden (actually, the Chicago players are a little more precise than their Central European counterparts). Solti's tempos are unexceptionable, even a little on the broad side (so much for his speed-demon reputation) and his understanding of Brahm's sound-world and meaning is acute. The only quibble I'd raise is that the set comes on four not-very-well-filled CDs, where it could've been accommodated on three (granted, that would probably have meant splitting a symphony between two discs). Along with Kurt Sanderling's dirt-cheap set from the early '70s, this is certainly THE bargain among Brahms symphony cycles--and one of the best at any price point.

It's hard to believe this recording is only ADD... Decca always has the best recording technologies. In these performances, you hear each and every important line or motive in Brahms's intricate polyphonic layout. The result is an everlasting pleasure of the work of a genius, a feeling that you get the entire contrapuntal complexity of the music. The recording engineers have given a bold emphasis to the brass winds (a feature prominent with other Decca-Solti recordings as well), and this contributes a lot to the richness of sound and texture, compared with other famous recordings (Karajan, for example) where one finds the traditional emphasis on the strings. I find this recording more balanced and better achieving a good perception of the polyphonic complexity of the music. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is of course one of the best orchestras in the world, and their playing is, as far as I can grasp, flawless. As to Solti's conducting, well, here one might say justifiably that other great conductors (Karajan and Barenboim, for example) are just as good, or, even more interesting and inventive. Solti's conducting is, one could say, minimalist - he refrains from complex rubatos, avoids changes of tempos beetween phrases, and doesn't employ any sophisticated phrasing. However, he is still a superb conductor, with his respectful contribution to the excellent instrumental balance of the performance, and he usually brings out successfully the emotionality of the music, and even better, the intricate structure.