Customer Reviews

Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Tragic Overture; Alto Rhapsody

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Every classical collection should have this Brahms symphony, so it just comes down to which one to buy. Go no further than Klemperer my friend. From the bruising opening (where the relentless percussive beat is placed well out in front of the strings), through to the gorgeously melancholy french horn (THIS is how it should be played, and it took so long for me to find it!) that takes you into the finale, Klemperer never loses his grip on the pathos, drama and ultimate triumph this symphony represents. It's a beautifully paced interpretation, and the sound is incredible for a '50's recording. After you hear it, you'll be unable to imagine it being conducted any other way. With the Alto Rhapsody and the Tragic Overture, it's also an incredible bargain. Brahms's First is one of the foundational pieces of my collection, so I have four (wierd but true) other recordings of this symphony (Karajan, Bernstein, Abbado, and Mackerras), and they all have wonderful features; however, they're all heading for trade-in heaven, since I can't imagine listening to them again without perceiving flaws in their respective conceptions once they're set against Klemperer. Reward yourself; you'll want this one to stay with you a lifetime.

This is an awe-inspiring recording. Dr Otto Klemperer (1885-1973) conducted the Tragische Ouvertüre shortly after his wife, Johanna, had passed away. Perhaps, that is part of what contributes to its powerful emotional statement. The notes written by Robin Golding inform that this and the Academic Festival Overture were written "almost simultaneously." Apparently, Brahms (1833-1897), having written a "very jolly Academic Festival Overture", could not deny his "melancholy disposition the compensation of writing a Tragedy overture." The tragic motif, so severe in its presentation, certainly compensates for anything joyous. Under the steady and sure hand of Dr Klemperer, I am swept away by the broad range of emotions. At about three-quarters through, there is almost a resolution. This, however, is only fleeting as tension and strife complete the overture. I like this interpretation because the strings are balanced by the winds and the rhythm is sharp and precise. The Alt-Rhapsodie was recorded five years later in 1962. It features the highly revered mezzo-soprano Ms Christa Ludwig. The Symphonie Nr.1, according to Mr John Lucas, was performed during the weeks before and after Dr Klemperer's deathbed visit with Johanna. Knowing of this human tragedy only makes the symphony more compelling. If you are familiar with the work of Dr Otto Klemperer, this CD will not disappoint. On the other hand, if you are not, this CD will start your Brahms' collection at the high-water mark.

Klemperer is among my favorite conductors and his Brahms First is among the best, but I favor owning more than just one recording. Many oustanding ones are available, each with it's strongly individual point of view. Klemperer's for me is a noble reading with astonishing craft, integrity and transparency and great solo and ensemble playing, yet is also classically restrained and sober. His reading may not satisfy everyone. Equally fine is Walter's that for me is more passionately lyrical, lovingly phrased and full of sentiment in the best sense of the word. Toscanini's with NBC Symphony (I haven't heard his other recording, with the same orchestra as Klemperer's) has a taut, tensile lyricism, eloquent and intensely dramatic. Furtwaengler's is characteristically mystical sounding and emotionally compelling. In sum, Brahms is worthy of many points of view. Klemperer's isn't the only possible approach. If it doesn't satisfy you, keep shopping! :)

This is my favorite piece of classical music, and Klemperer is my favorite conductor. So what do you expect me to say? I've heard almost all of the best-known and most highly praised recordings of this work (except the Horenstein), and there are none better than this one. The sound, which is about 40 years old, is fine. And if you are familiar with Klemperer's conducting, you already know what this interpretation will sound like: firm, architectural, and thrilling in its integrity. Every phrase, every thread of the music, is thought through and presented transparently to the listener. The music seems to be consciously progressing toward its magnificent climax from the very first measure. Particularly fine is the fourth movement, in which Klemperer gives the famous theme a flowing, majestic character which seems to escape all the other conductors - even the greatest of them. The only recording of Brahms First which rivals this one is the Bruno Walter. You can't go wrong with either of them.

Right from the titanic opening, you are captivated by the music. Klemperer can be a very dry conductor, very objective and lacking mercurial qualities which are more readily found in the Brahms performances by Furtwangler. However there can't be any denying that from a purely objective standpoint, Klemperer's recording of the 1st symphony by Brahms is one of the truly greatest. Practically everything sounds right, tempos, weight of sound and the true dignity of the music is fully conveyed. The additional pieces are great too, the Tragic Overture and the Alto Rhapsody with Christa Ludwig and male choir.

This is not the greatest performance of this symphony but it is certainly in the top 5 of all time. Here's my rundown of that top 5.

1. Furtwangler 1951
2. Karajan 1964
3. Klemperer 1961 ( the one under review )
4. Karajan 1987
5. Abbado 1990

Over the years, the terms monumental, Olympian and granitic have been used to describe Klemperer's performance of the Brahms First Symphony. A semblance of these impressions is literally hammered home immediately when one hears those titanic timpani strokes rendered by the Philharmonia Orchestra under Klemperer's baton. It is difficult for me to imagine how anyone could not be swept away by the manner in which the entire first movement is presented. In the second and third movements, the Klemperer/Brahms esthetic yields a satisfying incandescence. At the beginning of the final movement, the conductor wastes no time in returning to the kind of grandeur he brought to the first movement. I literally shake my head in awe every time I hear Klemperer churning the gears that build to those final climactic moments. Some see this interpretive view as an overwhelming one, and perhaps this is as it should be. It clearly matches the scale of the symphony. In my estimation, along with Van Beinum/Amsterdam Concertgebouw(the 1958 stereo recording)and Walter/Columbia Symphony, this conception stands at the apex of Brahms Firsts.

Klemperer's recording of the Brahms First Symphony is notable for its majesty and deliberate tempo. The first movement is authoritative and yet gathers enough momentum for the symphony to move. Sure the tempo is deliberate and I often get frustrated by the tempo after listening to Bohm but while tempo is the main driving force in Bohm's still excellent recording, Klemperer gives the music time to breathe and yet allows it to move on. The 2nd movement is very beautiful, beautiful wind solos and elegance of phrasing are notable. The 3rd movement is so relaxed and contrasts the 4th so well that this recording is nothing short of exhilarating.

The Tragic Overture is beautifully weighted and is finer than Bohm's recording.

The great 19th century conductor Hans von Bulow called the Brahms First Symphony in C Minor "the tenth symphony" to indicate his belief that it was a worthy successor to the nine by Beethoven. It took Brahms decades to summon up the courage to make his first essay into symphonic form, haunted as he was by the shadow of his great predecessor in the German classical tradition. But when the C Minor Symphony premiered in 1876 it was immediately clear that Brahms had not let his idol down. He had created a titanic, tragic masterpiece that ends on a note of hard-won triumph; the final movement quotes famously from the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth. It was the tenth symphony indeed. Klemperer's version with the Philharmonia Orchestra (1956-57) is itself a masterpiece, to my mind one of the few renderings worthy of comparison to Karajan's first version with the Berlin Philharmonic on DG. Recorded at a time of great personal grief for the conductor (his wife had recently died), Klemperer's performance captures the intensity of feeling and the stateliness of Brahms's musical structure with unique insight and empathy. The tempi are slower than what we are used to; the listener feels that the conductor has unrolled every phrase and examined it from every angle to extract the last element of truth. The EMI recording and re-mastering are excellent, making for a powerful and moving experience that lingers in the mind long after the last notes have died away. A must-have for the collector!

This recording of the First Symphony has been a classic since its first issue on lp in the late 50s. I once owned the Angel lp, and the current CD reveals a grandure, power, and humanity only suggested in those old grooves.

But it is the entire cd that must be considered: Overture, Alto Rhapsody, Symphony -- an entire concert of some of Brahms greatest works in performances equal to their measure.

Do not miss this recording; it is worth three times its price and more.

arguably the finest recording of Brahms 1st, utterly sweeping and majestic yet with unbelievable foundation and architecture which Klemperer is noted for. now reissued under EMI's great recordings of the century series with the rest of Klemp's Brahms. a must have period!