Beethoven & Brahms: Orchestral Works

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

..., occasionally playing the theme against her brief sinuous counterpoint. A short cadenza lets Mutter show off some complex fiddling, with furiously played phrases that leap as they ascend across the octaves. The piece concludes with the traditional booms from the orchestra, evoking a sense of finality and closure. ~~~~~~~~~~~ I warmly recommend this particular disc over the previous Brahms recording by Mutter--but just by a nose--while noting that 'tis a rather difficult choice to make. Both are wonderful and worthwhile, as each reflects a different point in the musical life of the violinist. It can’t fail to capture your ear and mind, heart and soul, what with Brahms, the "Romantic Beethoven," as composer, the always compelling Mutter on violin, and maestro Masur and the NYPO lending wonderful orchestral support. Five solid stars... Read review

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Advantages: Two outstanding peices of chamber music for an unusual combination of instruments
Disadvantages: On the surface quite contrasting works, listener must be openminded

...procedures, deriving new and original ideas influenced by the chamber music of old masters such as Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann. Ligeti was influenced by the music of fellow Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, who once stated that "Every art has the right to strike its roots in the art of a previous age; it not only has the right to but it must stem from it". This makes the pairing of one of Ligeti's finest works with the Brahms Op.40 Trio a very appropriate one. Both outstanding chamber works in their own rights and certainly the two best pieces composed for this unusual combination invented by Brahms, a good recording is essential, but hard to find. There are not that many recordings in existence of these works due to the technical complexity for performers and even acclaimed recordings such as the CD by Perlman, Ashkenazy... Read review

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Advantages: A work that changed the way we look at symphonies
Disadvantages: none whatsoever

..., to the memory of a great man," the title it has become known to us today. But it is also important to keep in perspective the influence of Napoleon in this work. Many have tried to see Napoleon in the programmatic sense, with the first being a "portrait" of him, the second an anticipation of his downfall or some other historic association with Napoleon, and the finale as his rise from corporal to general. This is of course utter folly. The symphony most probably represents Beethoven's own ideals and struggles with fate, his hero-worshipping and his own desires to evolve the symphonic design. The symphony was mostly written in 1803 and was finished in the beginning of 1804. When we forget all the irrelevant programmatic ideas, we can focus on a work that is truly groundbreaking for its time. In 1803 a normal symphony was usually about 25 to 30... Read review

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