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Chandos

Brahms: Symphonies 2 & 4

Classical Dramatic Triumphant Romantic Virtuosic
$21.99

Details

Composer
Johannes Brahms
Artist
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Format
SACD
Label
Chandos
Released
Jan 02, 2026
Catalog #
CHSA 5248
UPC
0095115524824

About

His First Symphony famously took Brahms twenty-one years from conception to first performance - a marker of both his own highly self-critical assessment of his output, combined with the expectation of everyone around him that his symphonic output would naturally pick up where Beethoven had left off. Astonishingly, his Second Symphony was begun in June 1877 and received it's first performance just six months later, by the Vienna Philharmonic and Hans Richter. It's cheerful nature and pastoral mood are also a stark contrast to the first symphony. Following a gap of some six years, Brahms returned to the form in 1883, and composed his third and then fourth symphonies in quick succession. Begun in 1884, the Fourth Symphony was premièred by Brahms and the Meiningen court orchestra in October 1885. The work is especially notable for it's last movement, which takes the form of a passacaglia (an extremely rare occurrence) and is the only one of Brahms's symphonies to end in a minor key.

Tracklist 8 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro non troppo 18:18
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    18:18
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner
  2. 2 II. Adagio non troppo - L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso 08:16
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Adagio non troppo - L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso
    Duration
    08:16
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner
  3. 3 III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino) - Presto ma non assai 04:57
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino) - Presto ma non assai
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner
  4. 4 IV. Allegro con spirito 09:26
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Allegro con spirito
    Duration
    09:26
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner
  5. 5 I. Allegro non troppo 13:07
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    13:07
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner
  6. 6 II. Andante moderato 08:16
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Andante moderato
    Duration
    08:16
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner
  7. 7 III. Allegro giocoso - Poco meno presto 04:57
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Allegro giocoso - Poco meno presto
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner
  8. 8 IV. Allegro energico e passionato - Più allegro 09:26
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Allegro energico e passionato - Più allegro
    Duration
    09:26
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Ensemble
    Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
    Conductor
    Edward Gardner