Issued on three CDs between 2013 and 2018, these Brahms recordings by Jukka-Pekka-Saraste and the WDR Sinfonieorchester comprise a standard set of the four symphonies, the Academic Festival Overture, the Tragic Overture, and the Variations on a Theme of Haydn. These seven works are commonly packaged together, and Saraste's set bears comparison with many similar packages, both in his interpretations and the orchestra's performances. Saraste's approach to the symphonies is conventional and not too far removed from mid-20th ...
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Issued on three CDs between 2013 and 2018, these Brahms recordings by Jukka-Pekka-Saraste and the WDR Sinfonieorchester comprise a standard set of the four symphonies, the Academic Festival Overture, the Tragic Overture, and the Variations on a Theme of Haydn. These seven works are commonly packaged together, and Saraste's set bears comparison with many similar packages, both in his interpretations and the orchestra's performances. Saraste's approach to the symphonies is conventional and not too far removed from mid-20th century readings, with no overt attempts at imitating a period style or reducing the orchestra's size to 19th century norms. However, the playing is surprisingly light and agile, which are qualities seldom found in mainstream Brahms, and Saraste aims for clarity of details and transparent textures, which are among the goals of historically informed performances. His attention to internal parts and emphasis on distinct instrumental colors give the music a certain freshness, and the...
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