Canter Bridge

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I find Brahms’ symphonies ponderous, at least over against his undeniable brillance with, say, a violin concerto.

This is a mere statement of preference. If you like Brahms when he’s rallying the whole orchestral troupe around a theme, then this Philips Duo is, as usual, a fine value.

These are early 1960s recordings, performed by the good folks in Vienna when the world was a very different place. The miracle in this collection may not so much occur in terms of brilliant performance as in the sheer unlikely delight of being able to sit down to an evening of Brahms in full flower, nearly fifty years after the fact.

The folks at Philips are commended for at least making this option available to listeners who, preference or not, enjoy a night of orchestral chest-beating done with unmistakable competence.