Album

Decca's seven-disc set Brahms: Complete Symphonies and Concertos is an enticing choice for listeners looking for a comprehensive and affordable way to build a library without sacrificing quality of performance. Despite its title, the set goes well beyond just symphonies and concertos by also including the Variations on a Theme of Haydn, the A major and D major Serenades, the two overtures, and 10 Hungarian Dances. The orchestral duties throughout are ably handled by Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Haitink's vision of Brahms focuses on subtetly of dynamics, simplicity and clarity of phrasing, and careful management of balance and pacing. Pianist Claudio Arrau's refined but powerful playing is an ideal match with Haitink; Henryk Szeryng performance of the Violin Concerto is lushly Romantic and sweeping without seeming contrived or overwrought. The only seeming mismatch to be found is cellist János Starker's playing in the Double Concerto. While technically beyond reproach, Starker's sound is rather thin and underpowered when juxtaposed with Szeryng and the RCO and his interpretation is less fluid and lyrical. The set is still a recommended choice. Decca's remastering of the 1970s and 1981 performances used in the set produces a clear, vivid soundscape.

© Mike D. Brownell, Rovi

CD 1 of 7
Johannes Brahms Composer Piano Concerto No.1 in D-, Op.15 Work 52:50 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Claudio Arrau Piano, Bernard Haitink Conductor
1	1.Maestoso	24:11			$3.99
2	2.Adagio	15:47			$2.49
3	3.Rondo: Allegro non troppo	12:52			$1.99
CD 2 of 7
Johannes Brahms Composer Piano Concerto No.2 in Bb, Op.83 Work 50:41 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Claudio Arrau Piano, Bernard Haitink Conductor
1	1.Allegro non troppo	19:15			$3.49
2	2.Allegro appassionato	9:20			$1.49
3	3.Andante	12:07			$1.99
4	4.Allegretto grazioso	9:59			$1.49
Johannes Brahms Composer Variations on a Theme of Haydn in Bb ('St. Anthony Variations'), Op.56a Work 19:12 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
5	Theme: Andante	2:12			$0.99
6	Variation 1: Poco più animato	1:22			$0.49
7	Variation 2: Più vivace	1:01			$0.49
8	Variation 3: Con moto	1:50			$0.49
9	Variation 4: Andante con moto	2:14			$0.99
10	Variation 5: Vivace	0:57			$0.49
11	Variation 6: Vivace	1:22			$0.49
12	Variation 7: Grazioso	3:13			$0.99
13	Variation 8: Presto non troppo	1:04			$0.49
14	Variation 9: Finale (Andante)	3:57			$0.99
CD 3 of 7
Johannes Brahms Composer Violin Concerto in D, Op.77 Work 41:16 Henryk Szeryng Violin, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
1	1.Allegro ma non troppo	23:15			$3.99
2	2.Adagio	9:27			$1.49
3	3.Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace	8:34			$1.49
Johannes Brahms Composer Double Concerto in A- for Violin and Cello, Op.102 Work 33:24 Janos Starker Cello, Henryk Szeryng Violin, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
4	1.Allegro	16:58			$2.99
5	2.Andante	7:31			$1.49
6	3.Vivace non troppo	8:55			$1.49
CD 4 of 7
Johannes Brahms Composer Serenade for Orchestra No.1 in D, Op.11 Work 45:58 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
1	1.Allegro molto	9:46			$1.49
2	2.Scherzo: Allegro non troppo	7:40			$1.49
3	3.Adagio non troppo	15:19			$2.49
4	4.Menuets 1 and 2	4:13			$0.99
5	5.Scherzo: Allegro	2:54			$0.99
6	6.Rondo: Allegro	6:06			$0.99
Johannes Brahms Composer Serenade for Orchestra No.2 in A, Op.16 Work 29:28 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
7	1.Allegro moderato	7:43			$1.49
8	2.Scherzo: Vivace	2:43			$0.99
9	3.Adagio non troppo	7:28			$1.49
10	4.Quasi menuetto	5:26			$0.99
11	5.Rondo: Allegro	6:08			$0.99
CD 5 of 7
Johannes Brahms Composer Symphony No.1 in C-, Op.68 Work 44:02 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
1	1.Un poco sostenuto. Allegro	12:59			$1.99
2	2.Andante sostenuto	8:57			$1.49
3	3.Un poco allegretto e grazioso	4:51			$0.99
4	4.Adagio. Piu andante. Allegro non troppo, ma con brio	17:15			$2.99
Johannes Brahms Composer Tragic Overture in D-, Op.81 Work Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
5	Tragic Overture in D-, Op.81	13:34			$2.49
Johannes Brahms Composer Academic Festival Overture in C-, Op.80 Work Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
6	Academic Festival Overture in C-, Op.80	10:24			$1.99
CD 6 of 7
Johannes Brahms Composer Symphony No.2 in D, Op.73 Work 38:34 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
1	1.Allegro non troppo	15:12			$2.49
2	2.Adagio non troppo	8:55			$1.49
3	3.Allegretto grazioso, quasi andantino	5:21			$0.99
4	4.Allegro con spirito	9:06			$1.49
Johannes Brahms Composer Symphony No.3 in F, Op.90 Work 39:13 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
5	1.Allegro con brio	14:23			$2.49
6	2.Andante	9:30			$1.49
7	3.Poco allegretto	6:20			$0.99
8	4.Finale: Allegro	9:00			$1.49
CD 7 of 7
Johannes Brahms Composer Symphony No.4 in E-, Op.98 Work 40:32 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
1	1.Allegro non troppo	12:27			$1.99
2	2.Andante moderato	11:42			$1.99
3	3.Allegro giocoso	6:13			$0.99
4	4.Allegro energico e passionato	10:10			$1.99
Johannes Brahms Composer 21 Hungarian Dances, WoO1 (orch. by Brahms, Dvorak, etc) Work 31:19 Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Orchestra, Bernard Haitink Conductor
5	1.Allegro molto in G- (orch. Brahms)	3:21			$0.99
6	2.Allegro non assai in D-	3:35			$0.99
7	3.Allegretto in F (orch. Brahms)	2:53			$0.99
8	4.Poco sostentuo. Vivace in F#-	4:37			$0.99
9	5.Allegro in G-	2:46			$0.99
10	6.Vivace in D	4:06			$0.99
11	7.Allegretto in A	2:10			$0.99
12	8.Presto in A-	3:34			$0.99
13	9.Allegro ma non troppo in E-	2:22			$0.99
14	10.Presto in F (orch. Brahms)	1:55			$0.49