Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 / Piano Quartet No. 1

Daniel Barenboim - Piano Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle - Conductor

Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15, Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25

Whoelnote Discoveries - June 2010
Since Daniel Barenboim made his celebrated recordings of the Brahms Concertos with Barbirolli and the Philharmonia in 1967 we have seen and heard him in this repertoire many times. Barenboim’s Brahms is authoritative, vigorous and second to none. On a recent DVD of the First Concerto we heard him with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic and now another performance has arrived from EuroArts, recorded on May 1, 2004 in the Herodes Atticus Odeon in Athens. Simon Rattle conducts the Berlin Philharmonic during their first European concert tour after he took over as chief conductor. Even though it is an open air event, the sound is remarkable and the balances ideal. The orchestra plays with splendid vitality, confirming, as if it were necessary, the wisdom of his appointment. The orchestra offers a passionate reading of Brahms Piano Quartet No.1 op.25 in the orchestration by Arnold Schoenberg. This performance by Rattle and company has the impact and scale of another Brahms symphony. Watching the video reveals the high level of excitement and enthusiasm of the players and conductor. Brahms enthusiasts must not pass this by. Bruce Surtees
Gramophone DVD of the Month - June 2010
This was the first European Concert that Sir Simon Rattle conducted in his new post as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker. It is also the first musical encounter between Sir Simon Rattle and world-famous pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. The program was shot at the ancient theatre of Herodes Atticus in Athens with overwhelming views of the nearby Acropolis. Bonus Film: a behind-the-scenes feature about the European Concert in the Olympic Athens. Including the EuroArts & Idéale Audience Catalogue 2010 - this catalogue brings together two prestigious audio-visual production companies: EuroArts in Germany and Idéale Audience in France. We are proud to present over 350 DVDs and Blu-ray Discs and look forward to up to 50 new releases in 2010. “Sir Simon Rattle is one of Britain's most famous cultural exports, and music director of the most glamorous orchestra in the world." The Guardian