Between 1981 and 1984, Leonard Bernstein recorded nearly all of Brahms’s orchestral works with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth in 1983. Today, the cycle is considered as a landmark in the interpretation of Brahms’ music. For Bernstein, Brahms was “a true Romantic, containing his passions in classical garb”, but also a “North-German classicist swept away to Vienna, and fired by Danubian, Carpathian and gypsy passions”. Bearing this dualism in mind, Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic have underscored both the classicism and romanticism, the dramatic intensity and the sober restraint of Brahms’s music. The venue was Vienna’s Musikvereinssaal, where two of Brahms’s symphonies were premiered and where Brahms himself conducted. For the concertos, Bernstein enlisted the services of some of the finest Brahms interpreters of the time: the violinist Gidon Kremer, the cellist Misha Maisky and the pianist Krystian Zimerman.
Mendelssohn, Piano Concerto No.2 in D minor, op.40
Recorded in 1982, this performance of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor features the Uruguayan pianist Homero Francesch along with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner. Born in 1947, Francesch studied in Munich and won the Prix Italia in 1973. He achieved particular prominence the following year for his participation in the world premiere of Hans Werner Henze’s “Tristan” in London. Sir Neville Marriner founded the now internationally celebrated Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in 1959. Though the majority of his opera and concert performances and recordings are with the Academy, Marriner also works consistently with all major orchestras worldwide.
Brahms, Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
Between 1981 and 1984, Leonard Bernstein recorded nearly all of Brahms’s orchestral works with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth in 1983. Today, the cycle is considered as a landmark in the interpretation of Brahms’ music. For Bernstein, Brahms was “a true Romantic, containing his passions in classical garb”, but also a “North-German classicist swept away to Vienna, and fired by Danubian, Carpathian and gypsy passions”. Bearing this dualism in mind, Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic have underscored both the classicism and romanticism, the dramatic intensity and the sober restraint of Brahms’s music. The venue was Vienna’s Musikvereinssaal, where two of Brahms’s symphonies were premiered and where Brahms himself conducted. For the concertos, Bernstein enlisted the services of some of the finest Brahms interpreters of the time: the violinist Gidon Kremer, the cellist Misha Maisky and the pianist Krystian Zimerman.
Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047 (Carinthian Summer 1982)
Mozart, Symphony No.39 in E flat major, K. 183
This is the first work of the famous symphonic triptych (K. 543, K. 550 and K. 551) Mozart composed in the summer of 1788. Although we do not know exactly why he wrote these three masterpieces at that time, it is assumed that they were intended for a series of concerts in Vienna. Despite his waning popularity in Vienna and his desperate financial situation, Mozart succeeded in forgetting his daily concerns and created a masterpiece of good spirits and self-confidence. The stately introduction leads into a graceful, urbane theme that seems to flow without effort. But a highlight of this work is the Trio of the Minuet, a pastoral Ländler for woodwinds that contrasts strikingly with the pounding energy of the Minuet. This concert was recorded in 1982 at the Musikvereinssaal in Vienna with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein.
Brahms, Academic Festival Overture in C minor, op.80
Between 1981 and 1984, Leonard Bernstein recorded nearly all of Brahms’s orchestral works with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth in 1983. Today, the cycle is considered as a landmark in the interpretation of Brahms’ music. For Bernstein, Brahms was “a true Romantic, containing his passions in classical garb”, but also a “North-German classicist swept away to Vienna, and fired by Danubian, Carpathian and gypsy passions”. Bearing this dualism in mind, Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic have underscored both the classicism and romanticism, the dramatic intensity and the sober restraint of Brahms’s music. The venue was Vienna’s Musikvereinssaal, where two of Brahms’s symphonies were premiered and where Brahms himself conducted. For the concertos, Bernstein enlisted the services of some of the finest Brahms interpreters of the time: the violinist Gidon Kremer, the cellist Misha Maisky and the pianist Krystian Zimerman.
Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047
“Everyone who knows the second Brandenburg Concerto thinks: ‘Oh great, a Baroque trumpet concerto!’ Hence: Baroque trumpet, physical power, high tones, sound – and everything else is secondary. But that’s just what it is not: Bach wrote a concerto for four different but equal instruments: trumpet, recorder, oboe, violin. The art was to create a dialogue among these four instruments, and this is obviously only posible when the trumpet plays as softly as the recorder and the recorder as loud as the trumpet. The trumpet which we use is a natural trumpet, i.e. there are no technical means such as valves and keys. The player has to do everything on his own. How was it played in Bach’s time? I think that there were exceptional talents on specific instruments back then just as today. And we know that there was a phenomenal trumpet player in Bach’s day who could play everything an octave higher. Bach must have had such a trumpet player at his disposal, since the level of difficulty of this piece is unusual for its time.” (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, named after their dedicatee the Margrave Christian Ludwig von Brandenburg, have been part of Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s permanent repertoire ever since he founded his Concentus musicus ensemble. The ensemble has recorded them and played them on their tours throughout the world. The impulse which led Harnoncourt to establish the Concentus musicus in 1953 was his dissatisfaction with the traditional way of interpreting early music. The uncommon and sometimes radically different style of the Concentus musicus, as well as its exclusive use of historical instruments, secured the ensemble its international reputation. Harnoncourt introduces the concerto with a moving and fascinating analysis of the piece. Interesting musical examples, which Harnoncourt inserts in a humorous and relaxed manner, make this introduction an informative and entertaining guide to this masterpiece of music. The production was filmed in the historical Baroque monastery library in Wiblingen, Germany.
Introduction: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047
“Everyone who knows the second Brandenburg Concerto thinks: ‘Oh great, a Baroque trumpet concerto!’ Hence: Baroque trumpet, physical power, high tones, sound – and everything else is secondary. But that’s just what it is not: Bach wrote a concerto for four different but equal instruments: trumpet, recorder, oboe, violin. The art was to create a dialogue among these four instruments, and this is obviously only posible when the trumpet plays as softly as the recorder and the recorder as loud as the trumpet. The trumpet which we use is a natural trumpet, i.e. there are no technical means such as valves and keys. The player has to do everything on his own. How was it played in Bach’s time? I think that there were exceptional talents on specific instruments back then just as today. And we know that there was a phenomenal trumpet player in Bach’s day who could play everything an octave higher. Bach must have had such a trumpet player at his disposal, since the level of difficulty of this piece is unusual for its time.” (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, named after their dedicatee the Margrave Christian Ludwig von Brandenburg, have been part of Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s permanent repertoire ever since he founded his Concentus musicus ensemble. The ensemble has recorded them and played them on their tours throughout the world. The impulse which led Harnoncourt to establish the Concentus musicus in 1953 was his dissatisfaction with the traditional way of interpreting early music. The uncommon and sometimes radically different style of the Concentus musicus, as well as its exclusive use of historical instruments, secured the ensemble its international reputation. Harnoncourt introduces the concerto with a moving and fascinating analysis of the piece. Interesting musical examples, which Harnoncourt inserts in a humorous and relaxed manner, make this introduction an informative and entertaining guide to this masterpiece of music. The production was filmed in the historical Baroque monastery library in Wiblingen, Germany.
Introduction: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048
“The third Brandenburg Concerto is a kind of demonstration. It is the only demonstration concerto of that quintessential Italian Baroque instrument – the violin. This may sound a little strange, but violas, celli and double basses are nothing but enlarged violins. This string writing – it uses up to nine parts – is so dense! I feel it radiates a southern fullness of sound, a truly Italian feel. The violin is no doubt a southern instrument, and in the last movement of this concerto you can hear the warm Adriatic breeze very clearly.” (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, named after their dedicatee the Margrave Christian Ludwig von Brandenburg, have been part of Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s permanent repertoire ever since he founded his Concentus musicus ensemble. The ensemble has recorded them and played them on their tours throughout the world. The impulse which led Harnoncourt to establish the Concentus musicus in 1953 was his dissatisfaction with the traditional way of interpreting early music. The uncommon and sometimes radically different style of the Concentus musicus, as well as its exclusive use of historical instruments, secured the ensemble its international reputation. Harnoncourt introduces the concerto with a moving and fascinating analysis of the piece. Interesting musical examples, which Harnoncourt inserts in a humorous and relaxed manner, make this introduction an informative and entertaining guide to this masterpiece of music. The production was filmed in the historical Baroque monastery library in Wiblingen, Germany.
Introduction: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049
“This concerto is generally considered as a genuine triple concerto for violin and two flutes. In my opinion, it is purely a violin concerto, and the most virtuoso one Bach ever wrote. Musicologists always had their problems with the two flutes. Bach designated them as ‘Flauti d’echo’, and there have been all kinds of theories as to what instruments he could have meant. No one thought of looking for the explanation in the music itself. Bach always uses the term ‘flauto’ for the recorder, and ‘d’echo’ means nothing else than that the two recorders leave their seats in the orchestra in the slow movement, which is built around an echo effect, and play from another point in the room or outside of it, but in any case from a distance. Strong evidence supporting this theory is found at the beginning of the last movement, where the tutti plays without the recorders, so as to give them enough time to get back to their seats. ” (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, named after their dedicatee the Margrave Christian Ludwig von Brandenburg, have been part of Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s permanent repertoire ever since he founded his Concentus musicus ensemble. The ensemble has recorded them and played them on their tours throughout the world. The impulse which led Harnoncourt to establish the Concentus musicus in 1953 was his dissatisfaction with the traditional way of interpreting early music. The uncommon and sometimes radically different style of the Concentus musicus, as well as its exclusive use of historical instruments, secured the ensemble its international reputation. Harnoncourt introduces the concerto with a moving and fascinating analysis of the piece. Interesting musical examples, which Harnoncourt inserts in a humorous and relaxed manner, make this introduction an informative and entertaining guide to this masterpiece of music. The production was filmed in the historical Baroque monastery library in Wiblingen, Germany.