Essential Brahms

Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg in 1833 and died in Vienna in 1897. He was one of the leading figures in classical music’s Romantic period and made outstanding contributions to all the major forms. His four symphonies, two piano concertos and one violin concerto – all represented here – are cornerstones of the orchestral concert repertoire, and his chamber music is also of special importance, including the Piano Quintet in F minor and Clarinet Quintet in B minor, extracts from both of which are heard here. Among his compositions for the voice, Ein deutsches Requiem and Alto Rhapsody are particularly famous, and the programme also includes his beautiful ‘Wiegenlied’ (Lullaby) and the most familiar of his spirited Hungarian Dances (No.5 in G minor) arranged for violin and piano.

Compact Disc 1 1 Academic Festival Overture Op.80 (from the film Volunteers) London Philharmonic Orchestra / Wolfgang Sawallisch P 1992 Symphony No.1 in C minor Op.68 2 III. Un poco allegretto e grazioso London Philharmonic Orchestra / Eugen Jochum P 1977/1996* Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor Op.15 3 III. Rondo: Allegro non troppo Stephen Kovacevich piano London Philharmonic Orchestra / Wolfgang Sawallisch P 1992 Variations on a Theme by Haydn Op.56a 4 Theme: Andante ‘Chorale St Antoni’ 5 Variation I: Poco più animato 6 Variation II: Più vivace 7 Variation III: Con moto 8 Variation IV: Andante con moto 9 Variation V: Vivace 10 Variation VI: Vivace 11 Variation VII: Grazioso 12 Variation VIII: Presto non troppo 13 Finale: Andante Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir John Barbirolli P 1969/1990* Symphony No.2 in D Op.73 14 III. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andantino) – Presto ma non assai – Tempo I London Philharmonic Orchestra / Wolfgang Sawallisch P 1990 Four Ballades Op.10 15 No.1 Andante Nicholas Angelich piano P 2006 EMI Records Ltd/Virgin Classics Ein deutsches Requiem Op.45 16 Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen BBC Symphony Chorus London Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra Klaus Tennstedt P 1985 Cello Sonata No.2 in F Op.99 17 II. Adagio affetuoso (Hilary and Jackie) Natalie Clein cello · Charles Owen piano P 2004 18 Vergebliches Ständchen Op.84 No.4 Victoria de los Angeles soprano Gerald Moore piano P 1961/1993* Violin Concerto in D Op.77 19 III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace Cadenza: Kreisler Gidon Kremer violin Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan P 1976/1996* Compact disc 2 1 Tragic Overture Op.81 London Philharmonic Orchestra / Eugen Jochum P 1977/1996* Symphony No.3 in F Op.90 2 III. Poco allegretto (Goodbye Again) Wiener Philharmoniker / Sir John Barbirolli P 1968/2010* 3 Hungarian Dance No.5 in G minor arr. Joachim Tasmin Little violin · Piers Lane piano P 1992 Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat Op.83 4 II. Allegro appassionato Stephen Kovacevich piano London Philharmonic Orchestra / Wolfgang Sawallisch P 1994 5 Wiegenlied Op.49 No.4 (The Truman Show) Victoria de los Angeles soprano Sinfonia of London / Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos P 1965/1988* 6 Intermezzo in B flat minor Op.117 No.2 Leif Ove Andsnes piano P 1998 Clarinet Quintet in B minor Op.115 7 III. Andantino – Preston non assai, ma con sentimento Sabine Meyer clarinet Alban Berg Quartett P 1999 Live recording Violin Sonata No.2 in A Op.100 8 II. Andante tranquillo – Vivace Kyung Wha Chung violin · Peter Frankl piano P 1997 9 Alto Rhapsody Op.53 Dame Janet Baker mezzo-soprano Male Voices of the John Alldis Choir London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult P 1971/1988* 10 Waltz No.15 in A flat (Puppet Master) Dame Moura Lympany piano P 1988 Piano Quintet in F minor Op.34 11 III. Scherzo: Allegro & Trio Leif Ove Andsnes piano Artemis Quartet P 2007 EMI Records Ltd/ Virgin Classics Symphony No.4 in E Op.98 12 IV. Allegro energico e passionato London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Adrian Boult P 1973/1988

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