Haitink: Brahms – Complete Symphonies and Concertos (7 CD box set, FLAC)

Audio CD
Number of Discs: 7 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+cue)
Label: Decca
Size: 2.2 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD1 – Piano Concerto No. 1
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor op.15
1. Maestoso – Poco Piu Moderato
2. Adagio
3. Rondo
Claudio Arrau, piano

CD2 – Piano Concerto No. 2, Variations On A Theme By Haydn
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major op.15
1. Allegro non troppo
2. Allegro apassionato
3. Andante – Piu adagio
4. Allegretto grazioso – Un poco piu presto

Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56a
5. Theme: ”Chorale St. Antoni
6. Variation I: Poco Piщ Animato
7. Variation II: Piщ Vivace
8. Variation III: Con Moto
9. Variation IV: Andante Con Moto
10. Variation V: Vivace
11. Variation VI: Vivace
12. Variation VII: Grazioso
13. Variation VIII: Presto Non Troppo
14. Finale: Andante
Claudio Arrau, piano

CD3 – Violin Concerto, Double Concerto
Violin Concerto in D major Op.77
1. I. Allegro non troppo
2. II. Adagio
3. III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace – Poco piu presto

Concerto for violin and cello in A minor, op.102
4. I.Allegro
5. II.Andante
6. III.Vivace non troppo-Poco meno allegro-Tempo I
Henryk Szeryng, violin
Janos Starker, cello

CD4 – Serenade No.1 & 2
Serenade No.1 in D major, op.11
1. I. Allegro molto
2. II. Scherzo: Allegro non troppo – Trio: Poc…
3. III. Adagio non troppo
4. IV. Menuetto I – Menuetto II
5. V. Scherzo: Allegro
6. VI. Rondo: Allegro

Serenade No.2 in A major, op.16
7. I. Allegro moderato
8. II. Scherzo: Vivace
9. III. Adagio non troppo
10. IV. Quasi menuetto – Trio
11. V. Rondo: Allegro

CD5 – Symphony No.1, Tragic Overture, Academical Festival Overture
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.68
1. Un poco sostenuto – Allegro – Meno allegro
2. Andante sostenuto
3. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
4. Andante – Pi?andante – Allegro non troppo, ma con brio
5. Tragic Overture, Op. 81, Allegro non troppo
6. Academical Festival Overture, Op. 80, Allegro

CD6 – Symphonies No.2 & 3
Symphony No.2 in D major, op.73
1. I. Allegro non troppo
2. II. Adagio non troppo – L’istesso tempo, ma…
3. III. Allegretto grazioso: Quasi andantino -…
4. IV. Allegro con spirito

Symphony No.3 in F major, op.90
5. I. Allegro con brio
6. II. Andante
7. III. Poco allegretto
8. IV. Allegro

CD7 – Symphony No.4, Hungarian Dances
Symphony No.4 In E Minor, Op.98
1. Allegro Non Troppo
2. Andante Moderato
3. Allegro Giocoso – Poco Meno Presto – Te…
4. Allegro Energico E Passionato – Piu Alle…

5. Hungarian Dance No.1 In G Minor
6. Hungarian Dance No.2 In D Minor
7. Hungarian Dance No.3 In F major
8. Hungarian Dance No.4 In F Sharp Minor
9. Hungarian Dance No.5 In G Minor
10. Hungarian Dance No.6 In D Flat
11. Hungarian Dance No.7 In F Hungarian Dance No. 7 In A major
12. Hungarian Dance No.8 In A Minor
13. Hungarian Dance No.9 In E Minor
14. Hungarian Dance No.10 In F major
==
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Conductor: Bernard Haitink

This is the Brahms to own!

Recorded between 1970 and 1981 in then-state-of-the-art analog sound, these classic performances still impress as powerfully as ever in this beautifully remastered compilation. Audiophiles and lovers of great music should expect no less. Bernard Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra set the standard for the interpretation of Brahms in the last quarter of the 20th century–a standard yet to be equaled in the digital age. Surpassed only by Bruno Walter’s much-revered 1960 readings with the studio pick-up Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Sony), Haitink takes a similarly “old school” interpretive approach while benefiting from the familiar synergies of a permanent ensemble and Philips’ greatly advanced sonic engineering.

Haitink’s Brahms is striking for its unerring clarity of line and consistent transparency of texture. Hearing these recordings will quickly disabuse anyone of the clichéd notion that Brahms’ orchestrations were dull, heavy-handed or muddy. Listen, for instance, to the opening bars of the Symphony #1. Where other conductors often conjure up a blurred, miasmic wall of sound, Haitink gives us music imbued with dramatic weight and grandeur, yet purposeful, limpid; fully alive with subtle detail. Or, consider the truly magnificent reading of the “Haydn Variations”, one of the greatest versions ever recorded; never too weighty, always lyrical, the noble long line carried through from beginning to end, seemingly in a single monumental breath. Other highlights–if there may be said to be “highlights” in a set where everything is equally superb–include a songful and sumptuous Symphony #2, an unrelentingly intense, shattering Symphony #4, a jaunty full-throated rendition of the early Serenade #1, and top-tier readings of the two piano concerti with the great Chilean soloist, Claudio Arrau. The third disc features very fine recordings of the Opus 77 Violin Concerto with the self-effacing and much under-appreciated Henryk Szeryng, and the Opus 102 Double Concerto with Szeryng and the inimitable Janos Starker on cello.

Casual collectors should be aware that all this material has been available separately in every major playback format of the last forty years. I’ve proudly owned these recordings on Philips cassettes as well as several different LP versions: (Philips 6747 325: 4 Symphonies; Overtures; Haydn Variations (1973)); (Philips 6500 375: Symphony #2 and Haydn Variations (1975)); (Philips 9500 322: Serenade #1 (1977)); (Philips 6882 005: Piano Concerto #2 (1970)); On CD, the 1994 integral box set (Philips 442 068-2) includes everything found on this recent Decca compilation with the exception of the four concertos.

A perfect, refreshingly inexpensive way to discover all the great orchestral works of one of the giants of classical music, or reacquaint yourself with these justly cherished gems, this attractively priced 7-disc set is wholeheartedly–fervently–recommended.