Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Academic Festival Overture

Johannes Brahms (Composer), Charles Mackerras (Conductor), Scottish Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra
• Conductor: Charles Mackerras
• Composer: Johannes Brahms
• Audio CD (October 28, 1997)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B000003D2O
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #203,264 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: I. Un poco sostenuto - Allegro

2. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: II. Andante sostenuto

3. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: III. Un poco Allegretto e grazioso

4. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: IV. Adagio - Allegro non troppo, ma con brio

5. Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68: Alternate movement II. Initial Performing Version of the Second Movement

6. Academic Festival Overture, for orchestra in C minor ('Akademische Festouvertüre'), Op. 80

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Brahms's First is one of the Romantic period's musical Everests, and a surprisingly difficult piece to bring off. Sir Charles Mackerras, adapting a scholarly approach to performance practice allied to his unfailingly musical instincts, delivers a really exciting reading in which his great freedom in terms of tempo never prevents the music from surging forward with the necessary passion. It's an absolute clinic on the art of conducting, and a great recording of this ever-popular symphony. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good version, October 13, 2005

By	G. Metcalf (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a good version of this often recorded work. Unlike the other reviewer I thought the sound was good. I didn't think the tutti had any hard over-brassy edge as they imply and I wasn't able to detect any excessive degree of stereo -- not sure how I would detect it. Overall this version holds its own with others I have heard.
The Academic Festival Overture is not my favorite piece so I'll admit right now that I haven't bothered to listen to it all the way through here. Of course anyone buying this is doing so to listen to the symphony anyway.
This is good not great. The price is a plus.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good but raw, March 13, 2000

By A Customer

I enjoyed hearing this "new" version of Brahm's 1, however two things make this less than a perfect CD. First, the stereo recording is exagerated, as though the mics were on opposite ends of the stage. I am used to near perfect stereo imaging from Telarc, so this was unfortunate. Second, the performance has an edginess or rawness that at times can be irritating. Possibly this is due to the different brass to strings ratio than I am used to. Despite these flaws, I still enjoyed this disc and it's unique interpretation.