This so-called "Best of Brahms" collection begins with Jaap van Zweden's rather faceless and lackluster rendition of the Fourth Symphony, wherein the Netherlands Philharmonic offers playing that's gentle to a fault. Far better is Karin Lechner's purposeful and powerfully rendered Piano Concerto No. 2 (with the Berlin Symphony under Eduardo Marturet), where we hear an unusual wealth of detail as well as brilliant execution. The only other complete work here is the Violin Sonata No. 2, in a congenial performance by György Pauk and Roger Vignoles. The rest of the program consists of excerpts--the Adagio from the Violin Concerto (far less effective on its own), and the Double Concerto's Andante, which as performed by Emmy Verhey, Janos Starker, and the Amsterdam Philharmonic under Arpad Jóo makes you wish the entire performance had been included. The Hungarian Dances make their usual impression, while the program closes with Hakon Austbö's searching and finely executed A major and E major Intermezzi, as well as the D major Ballade. The recorded sound is uniformly excellent in both the orchestral and chamber venues. Of course this is not for the serious Brahms collector, for which there are many more compelling alternative recordings to choose from. But the classical initiate on a budget may find this release enlightening as well as enjoyable.

--Victor Carr Jr