These
London Symphony Orchestra recordings were made at the Barbican in London in 2003 and 2004, were generally admired at the time, and have bounced around the marketplace in various forms ever since. This 2022 release features remastered SACD sound and makes a fitting tribute to the recently deceased conductor
Bernard Haitink. The set includes not only the four
Brahms symphonies but also the
Tragic Overture, Op. 81, the
Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102, and the
Serenade No. 2 in A major, Op. 16. It adds up to more than four hours of music, but one can make a strong case for this as the
Brahms set to own for those who want just one, especially for those who aren't concerned with audio quality (the sound is better than before, but still no great shakes). There is much to sink one's teeth into here -- over a lifetime. There are conductors with greater warmth than
Haitink, and there are those who chip away stone to reveal
Brahms' intricacies, but perhaps none where these elements are in such perfect balance.
Haitink delivers a classically noble
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, the work in which
Brahms finally came to terms with the overwhelming influence of
Beethoven. Yet, in smaller details, too, the set is delightful. Sample the perfectly sculpted rhythmic fillips in the Scherzo of the
Serenade No. 2. The passacaglia finale of the
Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98, is a profound structure built painstakingly from small details. The list goes on; almost everywhere here is something to consider at length. ~ James Manheim
