Search - Johannes Brahms, Max Bruch, Colin Davis :: Brahms, Bruch: Violin Concertos

Brilliant Brahms & Bruch

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 05/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just love it when classic recordings get reissued on CD at a budget price! Take this title in the "Universal Classics" series featuring the Brahms and Bruch (No. 1) Violin Concertos performed by the legendary Arthur Grumiaux. I fell in love with Grumiaux's playing years ago after being introduced to his recordings of the Beethoven and Mozart VCs and Sonatas, and I have fallen further recently with the reissue of rare performances on an "Original Masters" Box and a couple of imports of the violinist with Manuel Rosenthal and the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux (see my reviews of the set and a Lalo title). Of course, the accounts featured here -- the 1972 Brahms conducted by Colin Davis and the New Philharmonia Orchestra, and the 1957 Bruch with Heinz Wallberg leading the original Philharmonia -- have been previously available on CD. However, they were always paired with something I already owned so I waited, hoping that they would eventually be coupled together, and my dreams came true with the release of this title. With classical budget lines beginning to inexplicably disappear (like Sony's "Essential Classics" series -- what's up with that?!), I'm delighted that UNI has made these great recordings available again at such an inexpensive price."