Search - Johannes Brahms, Cristian Mandeal, "George Enescu" Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra :: Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Academic Festival Overture

The premiere of Brahms's First Symphony in 1872 was a disaster. This failure was to be followed by a good many more, and it took decades for the work to reach the status it has in the concert repertoire of today. The Academic Festival Overture was, in a way, a speech of acceptance for the bestowal of a doctorate at the University of Bratislava. The work is based on the most popular student songs of the time. The Romanian Philharmonic Society was founded in 1868. Its conductors have included significant figures in Romanian music including George Enescu, whose name was incorporated into its title in 1955. Current conductor Cristian Mandeal studied with both Karajan and Celibidache. He has conducted numerous major orchestras and more than forty world premieres. This is the first release in his Brahms symphony cycle for Arte Nova.