MusicNew Music Reviews

BRAHMS
Symphony No 1 in c minor
Variations on a theme by Haydn
Hungarian Dance No 14
BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Iván Fischer – Conductor
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS SA 28309
ClassicsToday.com
Artistic Quality 10/ 10 Sound Quality

Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra continue to go from strength to strength with new recordings that continue to stun the opposition and win accolades from all quarters. Technically, the sound is superb (SACD) and therefore the masterful interpretation and performance is that much more astounding. 

The CD starts with Iván Fischer’s arrangement for strings of Brahms’s Hungarian Dance no. 14 for piano duet – the string sound is fantastic as is the phrasing and legitimate Hungarian ‘gypsy’ sound. Next are the Variations on a theme of Joseph Haydn which comprises the theme, eight variations and a concluding passacaglia. Once again Fischer’s attention to detail is crystal clear while at the same time he is able to vary the tempo without disturbing the build-up to the passacaglia. The Budapest Festival Orchestra has a superb woodwind section.

Brahms worked on and prepared for his first symphony for 14 years and as a result there are some quite diverse musical ideas in the symphony (he composed his second symphony in one summer season). In the mix are his memories of playing popular dance music in Hamburg, performing Hungarian gypsy tunes with Ede Reményi, visiting the Swiss mountains with Clara Schumann and then the enormous influence of Vienna and the music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. As Iván Fischer comments, his first symphony was a ‘German-Hungarian-Gypsy-Swiss-Austrian symphony’.

I agree with ClassicsToday.com, no matter how many recordings you have of this repertoire, you really need this incredible performance. 

by Mike Ford