Composer: Johannes Brahms
Orchestra: Bamberger Symphoniker
Conductor: Robin Ticciati
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Tudor
Catalogue: TUDOR7183
Release: 2011
Size: 286 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Variations on a theme by Haydn for orchestra, Op. 56a ‘St Anthony Variations’
01. Theme: Chorale St. Antoni: Andante
02. Variation 1: Andante con moto
03. Variation 2: Vivace
04. Variation 3: Con moto
05. Variation 4: Andante
06. Variation 5: Poco presto
07. Variation 6: Vivace
08. Variation 7: Grazioso
09. Variation 8: Poco presto
10. Finale: Andante
Serenade No. 1 in D major, Op. 11
11. I. Allegro molto
12. II. Scherzo: Allegro non troppo
13. III. Adagio non troppo
14. IV. Menuetto I-II
15. V. Scherzo: Allegro
16. VI. Rondo: Allegro
17. Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor (orch. J. Brahms)
18. Hungarian Dance No. 3 in F major (orch. J. Brahms)
19. Hungarian Dance No. 10 in E major (orch. J. Brahms)
Ticciati is a young conductor with a very promising future. Last year he received an Award for Exceptional Young Talent from the Music Section of the Critics’ Circle. Here he continues the well established, critically acclaimed and renowned Bamberger Symphoniker in the next instalment of Brahms’ works.
Perhaps more than other 19th century composers, Johannes Brahms felt intimidated by the imposing figure of Ludwig van Beethoven, and for two decades he found writing a symphony almost impossible in the shadow of such a titan. On the way to composing his Symphony No. 1, Brahms steadied himself for the task by working on several less ambitious orchestral pieces, most notably a symphonic movement in D minor, which was used later in the Piano Concerto No. 1, the Serenade No. 1 in D major, and the Variations on a Theme of Haydn (St. Antony Chorale); the latter two works are included on this hybrid SACD from Tudor. One may regard these pieces as precursors in technique, if not in material: while there are no themes or motives in common, the contrapuntal textures and rich orchestration of the Haydn Variations feel similar to the those of the First Symphony, while the Classically oriented serenade shows how Brahms came to work out problems of symphonic form in a more accommodating framework. This SACD by Robin Ticciati and the Bamberger Symphoniker presents these works, along with three of the Hungarian Dances as filler, in sumptuous sound and pleasantly resonant acoustics, and the performances are brilliantly matched to the capabilities of multichannel technology. Ticciati draws out the warm, vibrant colors that make the variations one of Brahms’ best-loved works and shapes the serenade with the grace and humor one might expect of a Haydn divertimento. The Hungarian Dances No. 1, No. 3, and No. 10 are played with verve and seem like familiar encores that the orchestra has played many times. Tudor’s presentation is admirable, and listeners who lack these pieces in their collections should give this excellent package a try.