Search - Johannes Brahms, Semyon Bychkov, Orchester des WDR Köln :: Brahms: The 4 Symphonies [Hybrid SACD]

Brahms for People Who Love Brahms

David | Houston, Texas, USA | 05/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I approached these recordings with some trepidation, especially after readling the review by Sante Fe Listener. I had been looking for a recording of the four symphonies in multichannel SACD for a long time with no success. When I saw these I was immediately excited by the prospect of having them in five channel surround sound.



I was completely unaware of the conductor, the orchestra, or the label, and had no idea what to expect. I decided that I would take the gamble and order the recording. Well, I'm pleased to report that the recordings are a complete success. The performance, the interpretation, and the SACD quality are all enjoyable and fulfilling.



I appreciate Bychkov's obvious enjoyment of Brahms. He seems to delight in all of the nuances that Brahms brings into play in these symphonies. One can sense his luxuriating in a harmonic progression, the turn of a melody, the interplay of sections of the orchestra that Brahms incorporates into his work. Some critics have suggested that Brahms symphones were too pianistic in their style. I suspect that Brahms did indeed play these symphonies on the piano as he was creating them; and that he delighted in these same nuances, and hoped his hearers could do likewise.



If you've ever sat down to the piano to play selections from the four symphonies, or just wished you could so you could more fully enjoy the music; you should be pleased with these performances. Bychkov interprets these symphonies with the feeling they deserve, they are being played to be enjoyed.



One of the delights of the SACD format is the amazing transparency of the music. I heard sections of the orchestra playing music that I had never clearly heard before, it was exciting! For many years I played cello as a dedicated amatuer, and enjoyed playing in several community orchestras.This was strictly for the joy, and not for pay. As a result, I often listen for the cello section. With the SACD recording, one can listen to the overall sound,or, if one wishes, follow a particular section of the orchestra. One can discover parts of the music which one had not heard before; some of it has it's own special delight.



My summary of the recordings, if you love Brahms you'll enjoy these recordings."

Brahms in a style that is too often studied and lacking in p

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 09/02/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Semyon Bychkov has never been out of work since the late Eighties when he was a Karajan protege, but his rise was so brilliant back then, including major recordings on the Philips label with the likes of the Berlin Phil., that there's been a sense of anticlimax ever since. Now he's making a splash with SACDs out of Cologne. The ones devoted to Richard Stauss, especially an early Ein Heldenleben, garnered great reviews. About these Brahms symphonies I'm not so sure.



Without exception they sound like respectable readings, delivered in the central European style, that feel at times overly studied and lacking in raw passion. Nothing goes wrong, but Bychkov keeps hogging hte middle of the road. I hear more musicality than in the Brahms conducted by Eschenbach, Sawallisch, Sanderling, and Mackerras, but we're talking about fairly small degrees of difference. The WDR orchestra plays well but not with any special life or vibrancy.



In short, unless you are going for the admittedly excellent sonics, bychkov's comeback bid feels a trifle tepid after such a meteoric beginning."

Indispensible Brahms!

Scott E. Peterman | Oneida, NY USA | 12/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Buyer Beware! This recording is likely to displace your favorite recording of these pieces. Brahms, the WDR Sinfonie-Orchester Koln, and Semyon Bychkov have come together to give us most memorable performances of these great symphonies in astonishingly realistic sound. They are quite simply the most enjoyable and best recorded performances of Brahms' symphonies that I have heard. If you have a good stereo system that will handle multi-channel sound, you are in for a real treat. It is evident that Bychkov has a unique affinity for Brahms and a special relationship with the WDRSOK. Get the DVD version so you can watch these fine artists in action."