Adagio Karajan 2

Advantages: Subtle, Expressive, Beautiful Performances
Disadvantages: Pricey but worth the cost

...Every classical music fan will probably have a collection of Brahm's four symphonies around somewhere, but for tonal clarity, poetic beauty and the milking of every orchestral and melodic subtlety I have heard no better than Karajan's rendition with the BPO. The first is clear and bright, with a truly haunting adagio and nice pace to the finale. There are other performances of the 2nd that I prefer, but this gave me new insights into the form, Karajan paying particular attention to crisply defined structure rather than over-Romanticising Brahms' score. The highlight, however, has to be the tumultuously powerful 4th symphony, in which both form and drama fuse marvellously, especially at the culminating final moments of the first and fourth movements. Forget the lower rate orchestral versions around the web, this is worth every penny... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: The music, the chorus, the memorable melody
Disadvantages: None

...of the concert hall with his back to the audience. He failed to notice their standing ovation and wild applause at the end of the piece until the conductor turned him towards them. The Symphony No 9, ‘Choral’ in D minor (opus 125) This symphony followed the innovation he pioneered in his sixth symphony by having five movements. 1st Movement Allegro Ma Non Troppo Un Poco Maestoso Written in Sonata Form it opens with a striking A major chord from which a monumental theme representing what may be seen as the creation of the universe emerges. This movement then continues in the theme of creation with rhythmic waves indicative of the sea and a craggy melody enabling the listener to picture an emerging mountainous landscape. 2nd Movement Molto Vivace A Scherzo, lively and energetic this movement is based on patterns of diferent entries... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Mutter's eloquence and sensitivity in older recording are enhanced here.
Disadvantages: None at all!

.... ********************* NOTE: To commenter #3, posted comment today, 27-8: the message I left in your gb, sir, should sufficiently clarify the situation. ---------------------------------- CD Notes: JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833 - 1897) Konzert für Violine und Orchester D-dur op. 77 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major 1 1. Allegro non troppo (22' 55) Cadenza: Joseph Joachim, rev. Ossip Schnirlin 2 2. Adagio (9' 20) 3 3. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace - Poco più presto (7' 55) ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810 - 1856) Fantasie für Violine und Orchester C-dur op. 131 Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra in C major Transcription: Fritz Kreisler 4 Moderato semplice ma espressivo - Allegro marcato - Molto tranquillo - Tempo primo - Cadenza - Molto tranquillo (13' 12) ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER, Violine New York Philharmonic KURT MASUR Recorded Live at Lincoln Center... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful