Brahms: Symphonies Nos.1 & 2, Tragic Overture, Haydn Variations

Valery Gergiev launches his Brahms symphony cycle with the London Symphony Orchestra with this disc featuring the first two symphonies. Also included are the Tragic Overture and the Haydn Variations, Brahms' first orchestral piece and the first set of independent variations for orchestra by any composer. The epic first symphony, portraying dignity and grandeur, was ecstatically received at its premier in 1876, and Brahms was soon heralded as one of the great symphonic masters. His second, with its joyful melodies and pastoral beauty, portrays a more relaxed tone than its predecessor. The Tragic Overture, on the other hand, is turbulent and tormented, with a powerful and magnificent energy. Gergiev's performances capture all of these varying moods, balancing clarity and drive with emotion and subtlety.