This disc represents the high point of what is, on the whole, as fine a Brahms symphony cycle as has ever been recorded. There are so many great moments in these performances that a serious discussion of them would have to point out something in virtually every bar, but in general Klemperer’s versions are simply outstanding in rhythmic solidity, orchestral balance, phrasing–all the truly musical virtues are here in abundance. In particular, Klemperer’s Third Symphony is a performance that has never been surpassed, and he includes the very desirable first-movement exposition repeat–very unusual for the late 1950s. This sensitivity to the music’s structural details is typical of an approach that, more than 40 years later, still impresses in its freshness and strength. The remastered sound also puts a new gloss on some of the finest Brahms playing you will ever hear. Sheer greatness.
