Open Web Player
David Hurwitz was right when he reviewed this RCA set of the 4 Symphonies, 1st Piano Concerto , German Requiem and some assorted lieder on I believe, Arkivmusic.com. Couldn't agree more than Ido.
The 4 Symphonies were taped between 1975 and 1983, the concerto is from 1983, along with the Requiem and the 8 various songs. The symphonies were done in Medinah Temple,the other works downtown in Orchestra Hall. I paid a modest $12.50 or so, here on Amazon for this wonderful set, and have already listened to nearly all of it. It arrived only a couple of days ago.
Back in 1976, my wife and I were living in the Chicago area, our home region. We were pulling into one of the community's public libraries, in the winter, and the car radio was playing a "new release" Johannes Brahms'
4th Symphony. We waited till it was finished, then went inside to check out some books. I recall I was very impressed with the real sound of the timpani strokes in the scherzo and finale of this last symphony of the composer. Don't ask me where my car keys are today but about the recording I heard over45 years ago!! Crazy? After a couple of strokes nearly 6 or 7 years ago, this has been the case.
When the CD players started coming out, around 1990 or so, I bought a single disc Denon that ran for about 10-12 years before it died, and the first real quality release I bought at Tower Records in California, where we had moved as the result of a generous job offer, was the Eurodisc set of 4 symphonies, plus the overtures with Kurt Sanderling leading the Dresden Staatskapelle, and I got that also for about the same price. After more cycles by, Barenboim, Solti, Wand, Szell and lots of single releases here and there, the Sanderling was still my top choice. Now, there's a challenger, Levine and the CSO. Is Levine better than Sanderling? Well, let's put it this way. Maestro Sanderling was well into his later years when he recorded this music, I don't know right now just how old, but I'd guess his 70's, at least. Jimmy Levine was around 32-40 or so when he recorded this set for RCA. To have as much insight and grasp of these masterpieces at such a young and tender age is astounding. In 1975, the maestro from Cincinnati was appointed Music Dir. of the N.Y. Met and was also Music Director of the Ravinia Festival, wherer we first heard him..Ravinia is a beautiful huge park about 20 miles north of Chicago. The CSO has an annual Summer residence there and has a performance history of just over 100 yrears. For a lot less money, you can hear America's best orchestra in the comfort of casual dress, lawn chairs and a pre-concert picnic. All under the Summer stars, and, as my wife will tell you, it is a very romantic place.
As I cruised through this set of the symphonies first, I noticed during the 2nd Symphony in D, Levine's grasp of the lyrical side of Brahms is perhaps the most beautiful I've ever heard. It certainly rivaled Sanderling, and to do that, at age 34 or 37 is stunning. I began re-listening to each movement, almost immediately, so I wouldn't loose my mental picture, like I loose my car keys, (L.O.L.) I could cite a cluster of examples too numerous to list, but it boils down to a theory of mine. My thoughts are that his years of accompanying singers, blending orchestra with a chorus and his sense of grand presentation have resulted in an orchestral sound of the greatest economy, detail and a flavor of tone that sounds almost hand-sculpted. We haven't seen James Levine now for years, since we've lived on the West Coast since 1990, but I clearly recall his style as reserved, tidy and quite direct. Very different from the "herky-jerky" flares of Solti, the long, arcing sweep of the ever elegant Carlo Maria Giulini. But then, one of my golden rules applies here. "Conductors should be heard and not seen." I wonder how Bernstein would have acted on the podium if the world were blind.
Any how, these symphonies are all of the highest quality and represent I think, some of Levine's best work. He should be very proud of this fine set, and YOU should have it on your shelves, regardless of how many other Brahm's you own.A volume this good should always find a home. The piano concerto with the reliable emanuel Ax is poignant, energetic and smooth as silk. Orchestral accompanyment is sweet and fitting, hence there is a real conversation going on here, as it should be. Lastly, the Requiem.
The German Requiem dates from 1983 and I already own it in it's single release form. HOWEVER! There is a newer recording available that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE should own. It is a S.A.C.D. reading from Sept. 2008 featuring the Boston Symphony in a simply breath-taking performance with two good soloists and the gorgeous Tanglewood Festival Chorus, here the rival of the CSO Chorus. The sound is stunning and the balance by the Maestro is trully exquiste. I can't praise it enough. But, for the sake of brevity, please see my eview of that release elsewhere here on these pages.
In conclusion, this is a 5 STAR release, 5 very enthusiastic stars, at that! A dessert island choice for sure. Do not delay, get yours today and ENJOY!!
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Reviews with images
Beware of the jewel case that wants to break the second disc!
This is the worst designed, most difficult-to-use CD case that I've ever owned. The second disk with the 2nd and 3rd symphonies is held in place by some very stiff plastic nubs shown in the attached photo. There is no button to press that retracts these nubs. They are fixed in place and are a serious impediment to actually removing the disc from the case. I thought I was going to break the disc as I struggled to remove it! Seriously, I've never had a CD case before that was so difficult to use as this. After several minutes of bending and twisting and pulling on the disc, I did finally manage to get it out of the package. Maybe mine was just a fluke. But I'd be interested if anyone else had this problem with this particular CD case! Now, on to the actual symphonies.... ahhhhhh. bliss!!!!!
Top reviews from other countries
Steven H MacDowall
The set came in without damage and the CDs are clear
Reviewed in Canada on October 20, 2020
Stevie B.
Superb Brahms
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2021
Stevie B.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2021
Being a huge fan of James Levine's recordings I could quite easily fill this review with superlatives and be tempted to provide detailed analysis of each movement, but I will merely provide the basics.
The symphonies - recorded between 1975 and 1976 at the Medinah Temple, Chicago - are played superbly by the Chicago SO, and why wouldn't they be? After all, these symphonies are performed regularly in any orchestra's concert schedule. Bread and Butter music, you could say. For me, though, there is just something very different about these recordings of Brahms' symphonies and I cannot enthuse about them enough. The detail of the orchestral playing is just stunning; particularly noticeable if you are listening whilst following the scores of these works. Levine's interpretations are just so musical. They seem almost perfect to my seasoned 'Brahms ears' . There is rhythmic drive, beautifully phrased slow movements and outstanding solo playing throughout; Dale Clevenger's horn solo in the third symphony's third movement is hauntingly beautiful. I almost stopped breathing whilst listening to this. The first piano concerto - with Emanuel Ax as soloist - recorded (as is the German Requiem), in Orchestra Hall, Chicago, in 1983 is also superb; just a pity that the second concerto wasn't included. The Requiem is given a wonderfully moving and inspired performance. Again, Orchestra and Choir (the glorious Chicago Symphony Chorus prepared then by their inspired chorus master, Margaret Hillis) are in cracking form. Of the two soloists, Kathleen Battle (soprano), and Haken Hagegard (baritone), apologies for the absence of accents above certain letters - my phone does not 'do' them, I am more positive about Hagegard's singing than Battle's. I'm not a fan of her 'Wobblemente' style. It is an expressive-enough performance from Battle and vocal vibrato can be effective, but not with every note. I found it tiresome. Solti's Chicago SO recording has Kiri Te Kanawa as soprano soloist. A much better alternative. The two vocal soloists also feature in a selection of eight Brahms' Lieder as the fill ups on CD 3. These were recorded in RCA Studio A, New York City in 1983. I haven't heard these yet at the time of writing this review.
Of course, Levine's symphonic/purely orchestral recordings are from the early part of his conducting career, before he became fully immersed in the world of opera, and I feel it a pity that he didn't record more of this repertoire; although his recordings of the complete symphonies of Mozart with the Vienna Philharmonic are celebrated. These recordings will be often played and are a welcome addition to my ever-growing James Levine discography.....not to mention the section of my CD library devoted to Brahms' symphonies.
All performances are excellent - apart from my dislike of the soprano soloist, but that's entirely my opinion - the recorded sound is top drawer. I would say that these are some of the best RCA Red Seal recordings I have heard and present vintage Chicago SO performances. The only drawback with this 2011 compilation is the absence of any liner notes within this slimline box.
In concluding then, if you are looking for recordings of these works (either as a first time buyer or a fellow seasoned Brahmsian), then, put simply, buy them.
Images in this review
Teleton
Brahms-Sinfonien in megapackenden Wiedergaben mit absolutem Herzblut aus Chicago
Reviewed in Germany on January 14, 2018Magdalena
Magnifique interprétation des 4 symphonies
Reviewed in France on April 21, 2017