Over the past 100 years, there have been recordings of the complete Brahms' symphonies that rank with the greatest recordings of anything ever made. There are wonderful
Weingartners, the fabulous
Furtwänglers, the monumental
Klemperers, the amazing
Abbados...the list goes on and on. Of course, over the past 100 years, there have been recordings of Brahms symphonies that rank among the worst recordings of anything ever made. There are the obdurate Davalos, the superficial
Karajans, and the uncomprehending Jarvis...again, the list goes on and on.
Where in all this do the recordings of Brahms' symphonies by
Colin Davis stack? Near but not at the top:
Davis is a strong, intelligent, and sympathetic conductor whose Brahms' symphonies are clear, direct, and expressive.
Davis keeps the tempos moving and the long line flowing and yet still finds moments of quiet repose amidst the high drama. The Bavarian Radio Symphony plays with power, precision, and a fair amount of passion.
Gerhard Oppitz makes a fine protagonist in the Piano Concertos and Kyoko Takezawa makes a lyrical advocate in the Violin Concerto. RCA's digital sound is clear, rich, and deep.