Customer Reviews

Brahms: The Symphonies

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Conductors have big enough egos that they don't hold their breaths waiting for approval, which will shower them anyway. But Simon Rattle has waited a while before meeting Karajan, his illustrious Berlin predecessor, head on in the music that was one of Karajan's greatest strengths. As toe-dipping exercises we've had a German Requiem and a couple of First Piano Concertos. The four symphonies are the Himalayas of Brahms's output, however, and now that Rattle has taken them on all at once, how has he fared?

Sym. #1: From the opening bars the faint rustling of the audience tells us that this is a live concert, but the sound surpasses Karajan's best-engineered studio account (the last, digital one from 1987). It is rich, natural, and detailed. As for the orchestra's overall sound, it's more softly contoured than under Karajan, also not as monolithic. Rattle asks for sensitive, personal playing from his solo players, with less emphasis on the tidal wave of sound that Karajan favored. The phrasing is more energetic than under Abbado, whose Brahms cycle was earnest and unimaginative. In short, all the technical aspects are first-rate. Who would expect anything less?

But the Brahms First enjoys a history of iconic interpretations on disc, and it's up to Rattle to show some individuality. The import of the first movement isn't tragic or driven with fateful energy. In fact, Rattle seems almost relaxed in this music of struggle and conflict. He uses rubato to mold phrases and tries to catch the subtler shades of each mood. Happily, the Berliners can accomplish that while sounding powerful and virtuosic. I can't put Furtwangler's deeply tragic, turbulent account out of my head, but even so, I was engrossed in Rattle's very different approach. This is Brahms played for beauty and tenderness.

The second movement continues in the same vein, with exquisite lyrical playing in the strings and woodwind solos. The pace is kept on the urgent side, which helps a great deal to keep the line from dawdling. Far more importantly, Rattle is engaged emotionally, a bit of a surprise but a great relief. The Scherzo is all lightness and restrained ebullience. Brahms can be made more unbuttoned, but this is still wonderfully expressive playing. In the finale, I want a premonitory beginning leading to dark moods that resolve in the sunshine of the great tune. Rattle meets that expectation halfway - the opening is hushed and atmospheric, not brooding. The great horn entry is a hymn, taken slowly and reverentially. Despite the absence of tragic implications, Rattle's way seems valid, even if the big tune doesn't open the skies as it should. We get a lighter, brighter, less dramatic finale that is exceptionally well executed and paced. So count the First a success, setting the tone -- more Bruno Walter than Toscanini -- for Rattle's entire cycle.

If comparative timings are of interest, here they are:

Karajan 1987 Rattle
Mvt. 1 -- 13:22 13:59
Mvt. 2 -- 8:22 9:12
Mvt. 3 -- 4:46 4:52
Mvt. 4 -- 17:38 16:52

Sym. #2: The aging Walter (on Sony) was most successful in the Brahms Second, and I anticipated an updated version of his account from Rattle, but far better played and recorded. So it is. Rattle follows the autumnal Walter in being tender and lyrical but not to a fault. The line never sags; the pace doesn't meander. The conductor is alert to supple changes, as he was in the First. There's inner life here, without a hint of Rattle's unwelcome fussiness (or the self-consciousness that spoils the Brahms of Barenboim and Eschenbach). I was convinced that the Second comes naturally to him -- and to the Berliners, of course. The first movement is less grand than Karajan's but more varied and eager, too. There's even some turbulence in the development. The trick with the slow movement is that it can sound very like the first movement. It's not just a matter of pace but mood; two flowing pastoral movements in a row provide little contrast in feeling. Rattle is effective in making the Adagio non troppo sufficiently brooding and melancholy where he can. Still, the overall pacing and urgent feeling may seem to some listeners an extension of the first movement. Everything else about the slow movement is very satisfying.

Brahms undercuts the contrast of the Scherzo by asking for it to be "quasi Andantino," but Rattle ignores this to give us a quick-moving Allegretto, not as muscular as Karajan's, who had the same good instincts, but more dancing. I appreciate how light on its feet this movement is after so many dull, dutifully Germanic readings over the years. For once the 'grazioso' element dominates. The finale of the Second is a slam dunk for any conductor who doesn't make the mistake of dawdling and who dramatizes the explosive main theme. Ideally, the explosion should be one of runaway exuberance (as it was in Walter's mono account with the New York Phil.). Rattle could be more mysterious, and quicker, in the introduction, but once he lets the main theme erupt -- here a fairly soft eruption -- there is an exuberant feeling. Some reticence in the development section feels misplaced, but that's not a major flaw, thanks to the Berliners' alert, vivid playing. In short, Rattle's Second is at least up to the level of his First, and for many may be even better, because the work is more suited to a less than heroic approach. (If only he'd let the orchestra off the reins in the finale.)

Karajan 1987 Rattle
Mvt. 1 -- 15:45 15:20
Mvt. 2 -- 9:46 9:39
Mvt. 3 -- 5:21 5:27
Mvt. 4 -- 9:20 9:38

Sym. #3: The first movement of the Third is generally conceded to be the most difficult to hold together, and it takes a great Brahmsian (Furtwangler, Karajan, Walter, Klemperer, Bernstein) to be totally convincing. Rattle doesn't attack the impetuous, plunging opening measures. He's very successful at providing contrast in the second theme, however, and the pacing, although fairly relaxed, never loses momentum. The Third can be tailored to sound like Brahms's "other" pastoral symphony, not my preferred approach but certainly viable. Even without Karajan's towering drive, the Berlin strings are magnificent, and Rattle's handling of the whole development section is exciting. The intricate cross-currents of this opening movement could hardly be done better. The second movement is taken at a fairly relaxed pace, also, but you wouldn't notice since the phrasing contains so much variety and shading. Rattle feels this movement with a moody intensity comparable to Bernstein's.

The third movement is the least scherzo-like of Brahms's Scherzos, and although Rattle's pacing isn't slow, he never allows the tinge of melancholy to escape. Rattle loves half-light. He has a gift for sad music that's also supple and refined. (In fact, cutting loose with simple joy isn't a thing he seems to welcome.) If you're going to be mournful in the third movement, the finale demands a release. Rattle sets a good strong pace, although not as portentous and mysterious as it might be. He lets the main theme for cellos and horn have its head -- almost. I wish the music had broken free completely, but Rattle's control isn't stifling, much less does he make me want to kick him along. In sum, this is a refined, moody Third that is exceptionally well handled and stupendously played. It doesn't join Karajan at the summit but comes very near.

Karajan 1987 Rattle
Mvt. 1 -- 9:34 13:51 (taking the repeat)
Mvt. 2 -- 8:08 9:18
Mvt. 3 -- 6:15 6:44
Mvt. 4 -- 9:11 9:18

Sym. #4: Perhaps I'm unrealistic, but for me even Furtwangler and Karajan don't fully capture what the Fourth is about. Their readings, at least four tries from each conductor, aren't comparable in tension and catharsis to their towering accounts of the First Sym. Only Carlos Kleiber, in his legendary recording from Vienna (DG), makes me feel both exhilarated and wrung out at the end. So I come to a parting of the ways with Rattle's lyrical conception of the first movement, which is refined and at times gentle. I hear more struggle in this movement, but setting my expectations aside, his performance is controlled and beautiful, just far too buttoned up. Admirers would call it classically restrained and elegiac. The second movement can be fervent and anguished -- Bernstein did it that way -- but Rattle takes the usual, more subdued approach. He sounds like Chailly and Dohnanyi, on the verge of elegance. On its own terms, the performance is undoubtedly eloquent.

"Jocose" isn't a word we use much anymore, but merry is how Brahms wants the Scherzo to sound. The joke may be a bit ponderous, but conductors should at least try. Rattle manages very well. In fact, his conducting wakes up here for the first time in the Fourth. There's exuberance and thrust; he avoids the temptation to let the heavy bass line add an oppressive weight. I would wish for even more urgency, but this is an exciting rendition. Now to the great finale in passacaglia form. To succeed, it's not enough that the structure be as rigorous as Bach; Brahms's fervent Romantic side much be brought out fully, and in addition, the build-up to the climax must resound tragically. I feared that Rattle wouldn't have the musical instincts to fuse these opposed aspects, but from the outset he voices the harmony and handles the pacing with great skill (Karajan, for once, is too rough and coarse). Nothing is brash or sloppy here. The middle section grows too ruminative for a brief while, and the flute solo isn't heartrending, but Rattle quickly finds the pace again. No catharsis at the end, alas, but a good, strong finish nonetheless. In short, a mixed decision, with the last two movements being the most persuasive. Other listeners who don't mind a cool, classical Fourth will be happier than I was.

Karajan 1987 Rattle
Mvt. 1 -- 13:00 13:21
Mvt. 2 -- 11:35 12:13
Mvt. 3 -- 6:24 6:25
Mvt. 4 -- 10:39 10:21

No single conductor, with the exception of Furtwangler, has found in these titanic scores as much as Brahms put in them. In modern sound Karajan and Bernstein came closest -- others would nominate Celibidache. Yet I have no hesitation in calling Rattle's new cycle the best since Karajan's heyday. He's a natural at this music, and hearing the Berliners on sacred ground is itself cause for celebration.

P.S. 2011 - a recent listen to Rattle's Brahms prompts me to add that his interpretations are very "thought through," which means a certain loss of simple flow and naturalness. These readings are far from spontaneous-sounding. I should have emphasized that more in the review.

Simon Rattle conducting Brahms? I never would have thought that this set would be worth acquiring, especially considering that I already own what I consider to be the best Brahms symphony cycles: Solti, Harnoncourt, Dohnanyi, Abbado, Bohm, and Karajan, then I started reading all of the glowing reviews on Amazon and other websites that said this cycle is one of the best ever recorded. Is that a fair assessment calling the Rattle Brahms set one of the best ever? Compared to all of the other sets I've heard: yes, it is.

The other reviewers certainly wrote great enthusiastic reviews (and quite detailed ones at that), so all I can do is really second their enthusiasm for this current cycle. It seems that Rattle brings out some of the darker elements in Brahms' music. In lesser hands, you have a conductor on the podium who tries to be too classically-oriented with this music. Brahms was a bleeding heart Romantic and in my opinion should be played that way. Another thing that was great was Rattle brought out more textures from the woodwinds, especially in the finale of "Symphony No. 2," which I haven't heard so clearly defined on any other set. Rattle gives all symphonies much clearer-headed readings where every note is considered, but this is Rattle's approach in general. He's a detail-oriented conductor much like Boulez in the sense that he lays the structure of the music right out in front you in a very accessible way.

The Berliners play fantastic too. I've never heard them sound so energized and passionate or at least not recently. All of these recordings were recorded live and the audio quality is fantastic. All sections of the orchestra never sounded better. Perhaps Rattle's Brahms is the work of someone who genuinely likes Brahms. Rattle has had some failures in the past with Haydn, Berlioz, Dvorak, Beethoven, and Schubert to name a few, but his Brahms is truly a spectacle to behold. Highly recommended.

This is a modern great. Sir Simon Rattle, the Berliner Philharmoniker and EMI work wonders together in this set - it really does show. The performance is consistently thrilling, the sound is consistently excellent and the interpretations will stand up to the closest scrutiny, to be sure. Of the past ten, or even twenty years, this may be the best Brahms Symphony cycle on record. Bravo all involved.

Performance: 5/5
The Berliner Philharmoniker never ceases to please. For this orchestra this is absolutely core repertoire - they must live and breathe this music having performed it numerous times. Such mastery of this repertoire comes across in the finesse and total dedication of the playing. The ensemble is cohesive and coordinated with never a hint of sloppiness. Listen to those tricky passages in the Third's first movement; have they ever been conquered with greater orchestral assuredness? There is never a feeling of routine - for such well known works, this quality is simply priceless.

The traditional Berlin sound remains in tact and as rich as ever. The playing is warm and affectionate with great weight and balance across the orchestra. The stunning polyphony of the Third and Fourth, in particular, is realised exceptionally well. There is fire and élan and it can be sure all this benefited from the fact that the recordings come from live sessions in the Berlin Philharmonie in front of live audiences. This adds a life and spontaneity while the audience noise is back-grounded, rarely, if ever, intrusive and generally unnoticeable.

Sound: 5/5
Recording at live events can be difficult and EMI have often struggled to capture good sound in the Berlin Philharmonie. Fortunately, they have excelled themselves here. The engineering can't be faulted. The sound is crisp, warm and weighty. The orchestra has been given great balance allowing the orchestral colours and virtuously realised polyphony of this music to shine. There is also a robust homogeneity when necessary and the whole conception has a consistency. The sound allows the listener to experience the orchestral and interpretive elements with ease. Listen to the final coda of the Second Symphony, have those diverse orchestral lines ever been caught in more sophisticated sound? Nothing is detracted from the musical experience.

Interpretation: 5/5
Rattle has transformed from pedantic conductor to a true maestro and this set just about completes and proves the transition. The interpretations as a whole have a tremendous solidity and logic with plenty of romantic sweep and emotion. This is an involving and ear-catching set. Rattle balances the orchestra very skilfully and there is a surreptitious exploitation of colour. Other conductors may have brought a greater philosophic, romantic or pyrotechnic angle to these scores, but Rattle builds his conceptions on long-term drama and weight. Listen to the progression in the finales of the First and Second, there is a subtle building of tension and emotion arching towards overwhelming climaxes. Listen to the scherzo of the Fourth or finale of the Second, other records may make greater use of the brass lines or exaggerate rubato in fire-work displays but not Rattle. He is consistent with his overall interpretation. The brass lines never overwhelm the rest of the orchestra but complement the properly and the rubato is well judged and sophisticatedly subtle so as to improve upon the overall movement of the music towards its proper climax. These interpretations have the feeling of being just right - a fantastic achievement!

Overall, any negatives or criticism - if there is any to make - would be, at best, nit-picking. Everything stacks up in the music's favour. The sound quality is fabulous, as is the quality of the playing. The interpretations are enjoyable and satisfying with a good sense of musicality. These may become records for the ages. The only significant gripe is that, of the three discs, only the second is full. EMI have provided no fillers. Please don't let that put you off, though!

[from ClassicalWETA.org]

I might have skipped this release--the four Brahms Symphonies with Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic--because EMI's recordings with Rattle and his band have been such a mixed bag in the last years, vacillating between civilized boredom and indistinct, haphazard blandness. They rarely felt fully thought-through, much less labors of love. That may not apply to all of them, but to enough for that general impression.

I love Brahms' Symphonies--but unlike with the symphonies of, say Bruckner, Mahler, or Beethoven, I've never entered a symphony-cycle collection race. The reason is largely Günter Wand's traversal with the North German RSO (re-mastered on RCA) which so satisfies my every Brahms-craving that there simply wasn't a need to go out of my way exploring every other possible venue. Sure, I also like Jochum/Berlin, Karajan/Berlin (70s), Szell/Cleveland, but even they don't seem essential next to Wand. Rattle-Berlin, so I thought, certainly wasn't going to change that.

But when I was in Amsterdam recently, several musicians from the Concertgebouw raved about that recording. Musicians hear recordings differently than the passive listener--especially, but not only, when their own recordings are concerned. And I don't think their opinion is necessarily the measure of all things (mine is, of course!). But is there a better, more persuasive recommendation for Berlin's new Brahms than hearing from RCO players--members of the alleged `world's best orchestra': "That's how we would love to sound like. This is Brahms for the 21st century"?

And so it is. This is Brahms with racing stripes--not so much for speed (Rattle is very flexible and not out to set new records), but for full-bodied, sleek, high tuned performance. If the opening of the First puts a smile on your face with Günter Wand (RCA), this one wrings tears from your eyes, for its intensity bordering sophisticated brutality. It's not cold Brahms, either. Certainly not where Rattle evokes Elgarian plush in the second movement of the Fourth Symphony. The way the discernable string waves enter beneath the brass and flute solos in the fourth movement is enough to make one wince, they're so movingly played and so well captured. The recording (live) from the Berlin Philharmonic is magnificent: rich, present, detailed. Rattle's Brahms bristles, puts effective but not ostentatious spotlights on the excellent soloists and does create a sound that reminds again why the Berliners are such a special orchestra. In case those who can only judge by their recordings should have forgotten.

This 3 CD set, featuring the complete symphonies of Brahms with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic, has received lots of unreserved praise from musicians everywhere. But I would have you to know that there are some things about this album that you may want to avoid.

What are those things? Well, if you are someone who doesn't want your emotions to come to the surface, this is a set that will force them to the top. What's perhaps worse, it will have you thinking so deeply about your past and the meaning of your life that you will have to stop all that you're doing to take it all in. Furthermore, the effect it will have on you will take days to wear off, if it does at all. If you don't like thinking deeply, this CD will make you do so. It's for these reasons that I can't recommend these discs to everyone.

If the things laid out in the previous paragraph seem uninviting, I would beg you to reconsider. I don't think there are many things more satisfying for the listener than music that leads us to into serious reflection--reflection that is never ponderous but rather seeks to uplift the soul of the listener through its searching. In this day and age, music that has the potential to be life changing should be greeted with cries of adulation, at least that's how I feel.

Now that I've hopefully whetted your appetite for what this disc is all about, I want to look just a bit deeper into the interpretation. I think that Brahms is a composer whose charm lies not in excitement and pomp. If these are the reasons for which one turns to Brahms, they will meet with disappointment. You might as well listen to Tchaikovsky or Mahler. When the interpreter's primary concern is foot-tapping excitement in Brahms, the music becomes a blurred mess of exaggerated sentimentality. But what I think is unique in Brahms' symphonies is the amount of soul-searching thoughtfulness that is present. Throughout the bars of the ingenious works, there lies a large dosage of retrospection that is probably rivaled nowhere else in the entire field of music.

Rattle catches on to this. With what has got to be the world's greatest orchestra, he opens the ears of us listeners to a world of tremendous beauty and depth. It's really tough to pin down exactly how he does it, as his interpretive gifts allow him to give us a wide palate of sound. The music ranges from moments of a tenderness that almost floats to moments of gripping tragedy. Each of the 4 symphonies has its own world and Rattle's vision takes this into account. Never fear, you'll hear plenty of fate in the 1st and 4th symphonies while still hearing the blissful contentment that thrives in the 2nd and the autumnal feel for color in the 3rd. But Brahms is always Brahms, which means that the rich harmonic structure on which the symphonies are based will never leave. So no matter the mood or color, Rattle will still shine in a world of dark gorgeousness which his Berliners know more about than anyone else. It's really hard for me to say which symphony receives the best interpretation as they're all so fresh and imaginative. From the refreshing beams of sunlight and pure joy in the opening of the 2nd to the throbbing drama at the end of the 4th, everything is captured so wonderfully.

In case you're wondering, I want to clarify something. While Rattle doesn't see Brahms as being about excitement and pomp, this does not mean everything is laid back and cozy. In the process of unveiling the true world of Brahms, Rattle will give us exhilarating climaxes where the sheer bigness of sound gives me chills. I have to think in particular of how he closes the 1st symphony. The excitement is so contagious I have to fight to resist shouting from the thrill. The point is that all the excitement is seen in perspective. When we hear the closing of the 1st symphony, for example, it's only after we've been on a journey of where grief is unleashed in ways that may force you to pull your handkerchief out. In fact, the pure triumph of the close of the symphony is ten times as inspiring after we've been on such a journey.

In closing, there is no other music in my entire collection that I love as much as this set. I don't think it's necessary for me to explain why you should buy it and give yourself the same experience.

BOTTOM LINE: Nice try. 3.5 stars for me. An interesting set, and I'm glad I picked it up to try, but it won't be one of the "go to" sets for me. There are too many other sets and indvidual renditions of the 4 symphonies that I believe just get to the heart of the matter better than Rattle (see bottom of review for these if you want to skip my ranting).

I spent considerable time reading the various Amazon reviews before purchasing this set. I also read all your notes back and forth to each other, which are almost as entertaining as listening to the music.

However, many of the reviews are things I agree with, now having listened to the Rattle set 6 times.

--Its beautiful, lush playing. Breathtakingly so. The Berliners can turn on a dime.
--Its also clear Rattle has an interesting, distinctive vision for these works.
--He does avoid the "wall of sound" approach that several reviewers have commented on, specifially in reference to Karajan.
--The results are imposing Brahms, without question.
--The recording quality is really good.

But (to this layman) Rattle leaves off a few things in his vision:

--The crags and the teeth
--Some Brahmsian roughness,
--Some of the fundamental elements of conflict and drama

These also are what make these particular pieces monumental.

Yes, Rattle's renditions are imposing, the way an enormous, finely polished armoire is imposing. Its completely burnished within an inch of its life. This is the way the Rattle set strikes me. Its so pretty and large I want to store my linen tablecloths in the jewelcase and impress my guests with my good taste.

But Brahms symphonies have crags and some sharp edges, just like mountain ranges. Mountains can be beautiful too, but would you find the Grand Tetons as impressive and breathtaking if the Park Service went and rounded off the sharp points into perfectly shaped dental sets? I doubt it. Rattle's renditions aren't completey benign and conflict free, but they do seem to have been...well, tamed. I have to laugh when so many of you sneer at HVK for his seemingly over-burnished sound, but then you find THESE acceptable? Sorry. no can-do for me.

Quick individual symphony notes. (remember these come from a layman, so those of you with vast musical training can of course ignore me)

--Rattles approach works best, IMHO, in Symphony #2. Its not a perfect rendition, but I believe its the most succesful in the set, and the lush. over-the-top beauty is best accommodated here.

--I also believe the 4th isn't bad. The cumulative impact of Rattle's approach works best here in the buildup to the finale.

--I am lukewarm about #1. This, on balance, is less because of Rattle, per se, but just because there are so many other good renditions out there. I am not sure Rattle's has enough more or interesting to say that warrants making a place on my already-groaning shelves.

--I really parted company with Rattle on the 3rd symhony. Its an interesting approach, to be sure. I ignored the 3rd for so many years but have started listening more carefully to those conductors who seem to "get it" (or seem to want to put more than the mere dutiful effort into trying.) This symphony has issues, and (even with 4 movements that end relatively softly), it just can't be beautifuled-away into the sunset. i was driving down the freeway yelling "noooooo" at my car stereo (more dangerous than texting? Perhaps. Try to avoid drivers with ""Brahms issues"...)

Sets I've gotten recently, and have felt get to the heart of things better:

--Walter (find the NY set, not just the Columbia set; both have merits. I prefer Columbia for 3 and 4, NY for 1 and 2)
--Jochum (I prefer the EMI/philharmonia 1 - 3, but I know the DG/Berlin set also has gotten raves)
--Mackerras in Teldec is a MUST...very interesting...at least 1 - 3; symphony 4 is lacklustre)
--Karajan, the 1964 set...they should reissue in a box. Getting them is a scavenger hunt
--Karajan, the 1973 DVDs-sound not perfect, but to my mind GREAT renditions
--Toscanini-the Testament Philharmonia set....just picked this up used; absolutely splendid, (even with the blemishes).
--Furtwangler--for those who like even more excitement and have never learned how to spell "metronome", the Furtwangler set on Music and Arts is hair-raising (not just because of the renditions--extremely emotional and fervet, but also because of the time and circumstances under which they were recorded.)

Amid the enthusiastic gush that greeted Brahms's earliest compositions was the hope expressed that he would `touch with his magic wand the massed forces of orchestra and chorus'. As soon as he did so, of course, his orchestral scoring was heavily criticised and likened to Schumann's. This strange perception survived even into the latter half of the 20th century. If it is not yet fully extinct, Rattle's set of the symphonies ought to finish it off for good.

If you start with symphony #1 (a very reasonable place to start) you may feel some misgivings about the recorded sound. It makes a big boomy noise, which of course is how Brahms wrote that opening sequence. However as the set progressed what I found to my relief was that despite the fullness of the tone I was hearing an exceptional amount of the elaborate detail of which these symphonies contain more than any others. Not only that, I was thrilled time after time at the beauty of the orchestral effects, credit going of course to this great orchestra and this great conductor but above all to the great master of the orchestra who conceived them in the first place. I heard the bassoon's counter-melody at the start of the adagio of #2 more clearly than I usually do, and that is important because for once Brahms does not treat it in double counterpoint (treble and bass inverted) with the main melody. I heard the same instrument at one point in #3 where I had never previously heard it at all, and above all I heard some wonderful horn sound. All four symphonies are full of Wunderhorn stuff, so I shall just highlight the trickiest effect of all, the start of #2 played without hiccups or gulps; and also the sublime ringing chime through softly lit clouds in the introduction to the finale of #1.

Tempi will be a matter of taste. Rattle does not take any unusual speeds, but he inclines slightly to the slow side. This can create an effect of heftiness at times, deliberate I'm sure - this composer cast himself as the custodian and repository of the German classical tradition, and a little stolidity in big chords may be all part of that idiom. My own preference diverges from Rattle's mainly in the respective first movements of #1 and #4. Levine in #1 and Toscanini in #4 manage to be weighty without being heavy through their brisk tempi, and I remain of this way of thinking while admiring Rattle.

However the sheer quality of this recording scores heavily in Rattle's favour even where I know older interpretations that I like equally well, notably Monteux, Toscanini and Dorati in #2. Rattle even knocks my recently elevated favourite in #3, namely Cantelli's wonderful account lately come to my collection, off its pedestal entirely on grounds of sound quality. The general concept is not much different, the tempi are not miles apart either although the two maestri's respective beats are very unlike indeed, I would not like to be without either, but Rattle 2009 has to be my new top choice.

I hope such a summary assessment gives any readers some indication of how well this set may correspond with their own values and preferences. Both where Rattle reinforces my own ideas and where he does not, I'm sure of one thing - he has the sensibility, the insight and the intellectual stature to realise these towering masterpieces fully for us in performance. I find in abundance here the quality that I admire most of all - this director's touch is unique and his vision has a real sense of magic about it.

Finally, Rattle has produced standard repertoire renditions that can be considered a milestone. This release is the finest, most consistent set of Brahms symphonies since the Klemperer boxed set. He may be a little soft-grained at times, particularly in the first sypmhony where Klemperer is more heroic and menacing, but he has the full measure of the second and fourth which are equal with the best. His third, while excellent, does not have the cohesive drive that Toscanini brought to his performance with the Philhamonia Orchestra during his 1952 tour of England. Karajan, in all his series, is far too self-indulgently obsessive with rich sonorities, and Abbado's performances of the symphonies are four-square, unimaginatively phrased and plodding. A must-have set for all Brahms lovers.

After listening to his first Brahms recording with the Berlin Phil, which won a Grammy award, I was hooked and wanted more. So it is an understatement for me to say how thrilled I am that Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Phil have recorded the complete Brahms symphonies. Brahms is truly at the center of the Berliner Phil's sound and style of playing. The performance on this recording is truly Brahmsian in its warmth, lyrical flow and structural coherence. Sir Simon Rattle's vision and iconoclastic approach to the Symphonies is truly a new milestone in the history of recordings of these works. This new recording is not only a valuable addition to any Sir Simon Rattle and Berlin Phil collector's catalogue but also to all classical music enthusiasts around the world.

I ask people why they feel that conductors need to insert themselves into scores as timeless and brilliant as the 4 Brahms Symphonies? I find these Brahms recordings to be charming, natural, and without either silly or dramatic affectations. Like a character actor, Rattle becomes Brahms. The Berlin Philharmonic for their part allow their conductor to guide the music through well charted seas. Brahms cannot shock us any more, but can reward us in skilled hands. From the first passages, Simon Rattle disappears into these scores, and like any good actor/conductor, we see not Rattle, but Brahms. The idea here in music is not to reinvent the wheel, but for it to roll as smoothly as possible. These recordings are smooth, but not without their own revealed tension and precision. Having listened first to this conductors remarks on the Brahms symphonies, it greatly increases my appreciation for what he has done here as well as Brahms in general. Simon Rattle is often hit and miss for my tastes, but he hits more than he misses and he is both original and authentic to a degree that his efforts will always give me reason to give his work a listen. I can say that this recording of the Brahms symphonies is a 5 star hit. And in addition for a historical perspective, Karajan, for all his successes, Brahms was far from my favorite and this series by far surpasses Karajan. With the Karajan series, I was always hearing Karajan conduct a Brahms score. With Rattle, I am listening to the score reveal a beautiful Brahms symphony. The illusion being complete, the players and the conductor no longer matter. I think that this is a key to truly rewarding Brahms recordings and perhaps the highest compliment that can be payed to Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic in these still relatively recently released recordings. Bravo!!!