That Brahms labored
for more than twenty years, both physically
and mentally, over his first symphony
is well documented. For the younger
composer, the shadow of Beethoven was
so great that he feared ever being able
to add to the canon. Add to his reservations
the widely held assertion of Wagner
that after the giant from Bonn, there
was nothing left to be said via the
absolute symphonic form, and that only
the tone poem and the music drama were
left as vehicles through which to advance
the cause of music. That his first symphony
was held not only in considerable public
and critical esteem helped not only
to bolster Brahms’ place in the musical
pantheon of his day, but also significantly
silenced Wagner for a time as the more
conservative composer’s greatest critic
and rival.
Marin Alsop has come
to attention through her estimable performances
of twentieth century American music,
ironically more often than not recorded
by foreign orchestras. With this recording
she quite soundly breaks free from the
realm of somewhat specialist repertoire
and takes a very rightful place amongst
the world’s master conductors. These
taut, deep, sonorous and exuberant performances
make it perfectly clear that Ms. Alsop
has a solid interpretational capacity,
an encompassing technical command and
a level of baton wielding virtuosity
that places her at the very top of the
roster of international star conductors.
And what a welcome addition she is.
Over the years, interpretations
of Brahms’ symphonies have become more
and more grand, coated over with layer
after layer of sentimental varnish.
As a result, the works have lost a good
deal of their initial drama and punch,
and have been given over to lush romantic
sentimentality and nostalgia. Ms. Alsop
brings the C minor symphony back to
pulsating life with her adroit combination
of Ormandy’s voluptuous string tone
and Szell’s rhythmic drive and precision.
No lugubrious mid-summer thundershower
this opening salvo! Rather we are treated
to a forceful march, which sets up the
drama of the radiant and rollicking
sound world to come. Alsop takes us
for a thrilling ride throughout the
opening movement with ample forward
drive coupled with subtle changes in
shades of color.
Alsop leads us from
the dark storm into the splendid repose
of the second movement without ever
bowing to the temptation to overplay
Brahms’ considerable gift for soaring
melody. The compact but lovely third
movement is expertly paced, making an
apt prelude for the finale with its
beautiful horn solo, splendidly executed
here along with its equally lovely answer
from the principle flute. By the time
the chorale comes in at mid-point, Ms.
Alsop has set up a finely wrought tempo,
a pace which she most elegantly and
breathtakingly increases until we are
swept off by the rush and grandeur of
the symphony’s closing gestures.
The program is rounded
out by two famous overtures, the Tragic
in which Ms. Alsop captures both harsh
drama and the reflective repose; and
the Academic Festival, a considerably
more tuneful and light-hearted work,
composed as a thank you gesture to the
University of Breslau who awarded Brahms
an honorary doctorate in 1879.
The London Philharmonic
play with abandon throughout this entire
disc, quite obviously in sympathy with
their leader. Program notes are excellent
and informative, and sound quality is
of a very high order. With this opening
release, we can only sit back and wait
with tremendous anticipation for the
remaining three symphonies to be released.
This is a recording that can be set
alongside Klemperer and Karajan and
hold pride of place. A most welcome
addition to the catalog, this. Recommended
without a moment’s hesitation.
Kevin Sutton
see reviews By
Patrick
Waller, Paul
Shoemaker, Peter
Lawson and Colin
Clarke
see also Kevin
Sutton's review
of Symphony No 2
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Marin Alsop 
