Search - Brahms, Toscanini, NBC :: Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98/Liebeslieder-Walzer, Op. 52/Gesang der Parzen, Op. 89

Would Bestow 5 Stars If this Brahms 4th equalled the '35!

07/18/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Fourth Symphony was given a very fine, powerful, and somewhat austere reading, taken down in a recording session at Carnegie on Dec. 3, 1951. The live broadcast was also similar: Toscanini offered us a very sober, serious, and intense view of this late Brahms piece, accenting the academic nature of the construction of the music, and downplaying the "autumnal" qualities.If you, like many other "purist" collectors, are slightly put off by the huge "accelerando" in the coda of the Fourth, present in all the esteemed performances by Wilhelm Furtwaengler, you will assuredly NOT find such a touch here!The old 1935 BBC broadcast by Toscanini of this work is an utterly different presentation, with far greater emotional expression. Try, if you can, to obtain the EMI "official" transfer, rather than one of the central European "rip off" versions with paler and more artificial sound."The Song of the Fates", a very rarely played choral work of Brahms (at the time of the 1948 broadcast), is full of drama and melody, and was well sung by the Robert Shaw Chorale. The sound of the "in house" transcription master disk is very clear and transparent, considering the early date of Nov. 27, 1948, and is better than the previous LP issue and prior CD releases.The Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 52, were done during the same live broadcast as the Double Concerto: these charming waltzes are performed by a small chorus with Arthur Balsam and Joseph Kahn as pianists, Toscanini conducting with great involvement, passion, and emotion (as one can see in the BMG home video transfer of the telecast.) The performance is as far from a ripe, romantic "Viennese" approach as could be imagined, so some will hate it (but others might love it, as I do!)"