Recipient of the prestigious Brahms Prize of the Schleswig-Holstein Brahms Society in 2024, Kent Nagano and the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra, of which he was principal conductor from 2015 until 2025, perform the first two symphonies by the Hamburg-born composer, recorded in concert. Completed in 1876 after more than twenty years of hesitation, Brahms's First Symphony in C minor, Op. 68, bears the full weight of it's long gestation. Rooted in late Beethoven - Hans von Bulow famously called it the 'Tenth' - it traces a compelling per aspera ad astra journey: from the chromatic, drum-led opening's Faustian struggle, through a luminous slow movement and buoyant third, to a finale that breaks triumphantly into radiant C major. Critically admired but not widely loved, it remained music for connoisseurs. Composed swiftly during the summer of 1877 at the Worthersee, Brahms's Second Symphony in D major, Op. 73, stands in luminous contrast to it's brooding predecessor. Freed from the pressure of a symphonic debut, Brahms produced a work of natural ease and lyrical abundance: from the horn-launched opening movement to the enchanting third-movement minuet and the exuberant finale, it extends it's warmth - in Hanslick's words - to 'connoisseurs and laymen alike.'

Anna Fedorova presents the late keyboard works of Brahms. 'These works feel as if he is speaking to us in a more private voice than ever before. The music is deeply personal, full of tenderness, nostalgia, love, and quiet reflection' says Fedorova. 'His lifelong bond with Clara Schumann remained a central part of his inner world. She was among the first to see these manuscripts, and her presence seems to quietly accompany them.' Op. 117 are three sets of melodies without words. Of Op. 118, Clara wrote: 'It is simply marvellous how your inner self seems to bubble, shine and whisper, constantly imbued with the grandeur and depth of your ideas!' With Op. 119, the keyboard seems once again to contain an entire orchestra, just like the early works that the young Brahms had presented to Robert Schumann forty years earlier.

Having different backgrounds is an asset. Growing up in a multilingual environment fosters cognitive flexibility I was fortunate enough to live between Romania and Germany,' says Konstantin Krimmel. Together with his longtime musical partner Ammiel Bushakevitz, who also has 'mixed roots', he sought to bring together the composers Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and Eusebius Mandyczewski (1857-1929), who met in Vienna in the late 1870s and maintained a close friendship: on the one hand, the established composer from faraway Hamburg, author of nearly 200 Lieder and vocal works; on the other, the young student from distant Bukovina, son of an Orthodox priest, who grew up immersed in the Romanian of his mother's side and the Ukrainian of his father's, a pupil of a Mendelssohn's disciple. His eighteen Romanian Songs were published in 1885 in a bilingual Romanian-German edition, based on texts by Vasile Alecsandri (1821-1890), 'a magnificent poet who wrote in a highly evocative style and in close connection with nature. A nature that I love and from which I draw inspiration as a source of interpretation for every recital,' says Krimmel. They are recorded here for the first time in their original language, Romanian. The two composers share a love of Schubert-Mandyczewski was the first publisher of his complete works-a fascination with folk songs, and a taste for melancholy, which is felt throughout this program.

The Landscape of Clara Schumann unfolds like a finely drawn musical panorama: a recording that combines historical resonances, personal perspectives, and contemporary sound to create a multi-layered overall picture. Pianist Heike-Angela Moser - a descendant of Clara Schumann- dedicates herself here in a special way to the legacy of her ancestor; not in the form of a nostalgic retrospective, but as a lively, artistic exploration of origins and the future. A central element of this recording is the 1859 Schiedmayer fortepiano, whose historical character and fine timbre allow the repertoire to shine with a rarely heard authenticity. The Landscape of Clara Schumann is a poetic journey of sound: a dialogue between generations, between memory and renewal, between the historical breath of an instrument and the living voice of it's contemporary interpreter.

One of the most famous English contraltos of the twentieth century sadly passed away at a young age. However, she left behind several memorable recordings, including those made with some of the greatest conductors of the period. These recordings are meticulously restored from the original sources.

Gianandrea Noseda is clearly one of those conductors who 'are equally at home in both genres', as the 'Neue Zurcher Zeitung' put it in 2021 on the occasion of his debut as General Music Director at Zurich Opera House. 'In hindsight, one cannot even judge whether he is the better opera or symphony conductor.' In his concert performances in Zurich, Noseda focused on the works of Johannes Brahms. Following a highly acclaimed performance of the 'German Requiem', he also conducted the Zurich Opera Orchestra in performances of Brahms's symphonies. The four symphonies by Johannes Brahms were completed between 1876 and 1885 and are regarded as milestones in the Romantic orchestral repertoire. Under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda, they were recorded live at the Zurich Opera House during various concerts and can now be heard together on this album.

On this exciting release from Hyperion, Stephen Hough performs a collection of exquisite Brahmsian miniatures. The pianist refers to these works as brief meditations on last things before 'the light fades and the final cigar is extinguished.'

This 2-CD release tells the story of Pollinis triumphant reunion with Staatskapelle Dresden in 2011 and 2013 and includes the acclaimed recordings of Brahmss Piano Concertos with Christian Thielemann. Those who admire the intelligent, direct and stylishly lean virtuosity that Maurizio Pollini has long brought to Brahmss Piano Concertos will want to know how the pianists recent recordings with Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden compare with his two earlier versions, both conducted by the late Claudio Abbado.

Augustin Hadelich TITLE: Brahms, Ligeti: violin concertos - Winner of the Warner Prize, first recording as an exclusive artist; • New recording of the concertos by Brahms and Ligeti; • Ligeti Concerto includes new cadenzas written by Thomas Ades especially for Augustin - never-before recorded; • With the Norwegian Radio Orchestra under Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

Vinyl LP pressing. Herbert von Karajan called her "the greatest musical prodigy since the young Menuhin;" Anne-Sophie Mutter in turn praised Karajan for teaching her "to think the music through to it's logical conclusion and impose a sense of direction on it". Now their celebrated recording of one of the world's best-loved violin concertos returns to vinyl.

“Peaceful Choir” by harpist Lavinia Meijer and chamber choir World Choir of Peace is a relaxing musical journey through the manifold colors and sounds of contemporary choral music. Renown international composers have contributed entirely new works or arrangements for this unique recording project, including Sir Karl Jenkins, Grammy-nominated composer and pianist Hauschka, San Fermin mastermind Ellis Ludwig-Leone, composer icon John Rutter, Estonian pop-violinist Maarja Nuut and German soundtrack composer David Reichelt (8 Days). The album includes 15 world-premiere recordings and music by house-hold names such as Ola Gjeilo, Eric Whitacre, Max Richter, Hans Zimmer and Arvo Pärt. Next to them, critically acclaimed composers of choral music have contributed to the album, such as Grammy-nominated Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen and American composers Dan Forrest, Jake Runestand and Elaine Hagenberg.

For some pieces, the chamber choir is accompanied by an ensemble of additional instruments. Next to harpist Lavinia Meijer, violinist and influencer Esther Abrami, pianist Tim Allhoff or cellist Gereon Theis join the choir. The “World Choir for Peace” consists of 24 professional singers from 15 countries worldwide and was founded by conductor Nicol Matt. Matt has been involved in the production of more than 100 choral music recordings in his career. For this particular recording he collaborates with Grammy-winning sound engineer Gregor Zielinsky.

"These versions of the Brahms symphonies rank with the very finest available. They are stunning, and they established Levine as a true successor to his mentor, George Szell. His Brahms especially has all of Szell’s precision and care for balance and proportion, with none of his occasional stiffness...after experiencing these performances anew we recall what all of the excitement was about. The “buzz” was entirely justified."

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

The celebrated violinist Francesca Dego is joined by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and her regular collaborator Dalia Stasevska for this recording of the violin concertos by Brahms and Busoni.

A cornerstone of the repertoire, Brahms’s Concerto dates from 1878, a year after the Second Symphony, and was composed for (and dedicated to) the virtuoso Joseph Joachim. The Concerto takes the standard three-movement form, and as in Beethoven’s Concerto (considered by many as Brahms’s inspiration for the work) the first movement is significant in its length and its complexity.

Busoni’s Violin Concerto in its turn is inspired by both Brahms and Beethoven, and like both previous works it is in the key of D major. Premièred in Berlin in 1897 by the Dutch violinist Henri Petri, the Concerto is dazzlingly virtuosic. Francesca Dego writes: ‘To be able to record Brahms’s Violin Concerto is a dream and a milestone for every violinist and I feel that with “my” Brahms I do not want to compete with the many gorgeous versions out there but instead to declare my own love and history with my favorite violin concerto. Busoni’s Concerto, however, is a rarely performed work, brought to the studio only a handful of times. It represents a different kind of responsibility, one that pushed me to want to rediscover every detail of this music as if it had never been played before.’

Recording Brahms’ violin sonatas can be a formidable task for young violinists. Søren Elbæk (pronounced “Sorn Elbeck”...almost) from the Copenhagen Trio took the challenge in his stride with his sidekick Morten Mogensen also a member of the Copenhagen Trio. The two musicians have been playing together since their early teens (they are now in their mid-20s) and it shows in their empathic performance. Just recently a DJ from the Danish National Radio broadcasted this CD to declare that he considered Søren’s rendition superior to any releases from the major labels.