[EvaBaron]

I know I know, there’s already a thread on Brahms 2nd symphony. But I think this is different. I’m asking for a recording for exploring the work for the first time and i’m going to reference back to said recording. Lately I have been listening to Brahms symphonies and so far I have listened to 1,3 and 4 (4 was what got me into Brahms, then I decided to listen to 3 and I liked it a lot and I am busy with listening to 1 but want to start with 2 in a week or so. I have listened to many 4th’s but like kleiber the most, for 3 I think it’s Walter/Col but I’m not sure because I don’t know the Walter recording well enough to really sample with other ones. For 1 I chose Klemperer as my reference recording and that is still the only one I listened to. I hope you will share your recommandation for a reference recording. If you do I’m looking forward to it

 

[EvaBaron]

Also, for Brahms 3 I highly recommend the Abbado/BPO from 1989.

I also really like abbado's Brahms 3, but I think the tempi are better judged by Walter (1962)

 

[EvaBaron]

Big fan of HvK’s 86 recording with the BPO. One of his most subtle, supple recordings. Don’t rate the Monteaux LSO recording at all. Terrible audio quality… throw it in the skip…

I have heard that that recording is very good. One of Karajan’s most admired Brahms recordings right alongside his 63 recording of the 1st

 

[EvaBaron]

Historical: Furtwängler VPO 1945 (F.'s last performance before going into exile, superb performance in pretty good sound)
Studio: Walter CSO or Barbirolli VPO (I don't care what anyone says, I love Barbirolli's Vienna cycle)
Live (video): Kleiber VPO 1988 (the one performance that beats them all, i.m.o., I value it even higher than his famous Brahms 4 - too bad it's impossible to get as audio only...)

Is the Kleiber from 1988 not a radio broadcast? I have the Carlos Kleiber DVD Legend box including a performance of Brahms’ 2nd that I believe stems from 1991

 

[EvaBaron]

It's rather confusing, I've got the Philips DVD with Mozart 36 and Brahms 2, can't find a recording date on it, could be 1991 - but Wikipedia says the 1991 performances of the same repertoire were with the Bavarian State Orchestra? It's clearly the VPO though.

It’s definitely the VPO, and I have heard that the 1988 radio broadcast is better than the 1991 performance

 

[EvaBaron]

That would make it something like the holy grail of Brahms 2nd's then!
Too bad it seems out of print (a Memories Excellence twofer).

I feel like Kleiber is the holy grail of conductors. A shame he didn’t record more. I watched a documentary about him and the people that knew him said that it was because he didn’t actually like conducting. I agree that his Brahms 2nd is even more valuable than his Brahms 4th. I also like his Schubert 8 more than his famous Beethoven 5

 

[EvaBaron]

Hi Eva, Try Abbado with BPO or Nelsons with Boston SO. Of course Karajan's version is still one of the best as well but as a young person you will probably like more recent versions. Enjoy

I actually often prefer recordings from the 60’s. Feel like that was the golden age of conducting. I’m not really fond of Abaddo. I’m looking more towards Walter