Wand/NDR SO: Brahms 4 Symphonies - DHM/EMI 15 5532 3 (DDD, 2LP box, sealed)

$

80

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This handsome 2LP box set – a still-sealed copy – from Deutsche Harmonia Mundi / EMI (15 5532 3, German pressing, DMM · Direct Metal Mastering, label iteration unknown, DDD stereo) features conductor Günter Wand and the Sinfonie-Orchester Des Norddeutschen Rundfunks (NDR Symphony Orchestra) in one of the great Brahms Symphony cycles of the “digital” era, or indeed of any era, made in the warm acoustics of the Musikhalle (Laeiszhalle), Hamburg.

In his 10/10 review of Wand’s complete Brahms cycle, the wonderful author and critic David Hurwitz wrote for ClassicsToday:

“What a Brahms cycle! Günter Wand's fairly brisk tempos, astute sense of linear clarity, and palpable dynamic intensity often hold a modern-day sonic mirror to Toscanini's way with the composer. Listen to how the First symphony's driving introduction ever so gradually eases into the incisively shaped main theme, or notice the fourth-movement introduction's seamless yet almost improvisatory transitions. The Third's difficult-to-balance first movement is all of a piece, with the sustained wind passages, brass outbursts, and often buried lower strings contoured in revelatory perspective. An organic ebb and flow governs the tempo modifications in the Fourth's passacaglia finale, all to unified and inevitable ends. Tensile strength and lyrical nuance continuously merge as one throughout the Second, and I especially like how Wand underlines the first movement's offbeat accents and overlapping dissonances. Add the NDR Symphony Orchestra's enlivening virtuosity plus a soundstage that conveys slightly more depth and ambient presence in RCA's 2001 transfers than in previous CD editions (RCA, EMI, Pro-Arte), and you've got an essential purchase, available again through Arkivmusic.com's on-demand reprint program.”

The exact contents then are as follows:

Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor Op. 68

> rec. in December 1982

Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major Op. 73

> rec. in September 1983

Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F Major Op. 90

> rec. in September 1983

Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor Op. 98.

> rec. in September 1983

These magnificent recordings were produced by Friedrich-Karl Wagner and engineered by Karl-Otto Bremer.

Incidentally, the striking cover photo of Wand was taken by Klaus Hennch. There are fine liner notes on the interior panels of the gatefold jacket by Rolf-A. Dimpfel, provided in German, English, French, and Italian.

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the box is near-MINT. Really there are no flaws to speak of and the box appears virtually as new – overall, an outstanding collector's copy.

The condition of the 2 LPs is MINT. This is a still-sealed, unplayed copy – the ideal collector's copy.

PLEASE NOTE:
This LP has been carefully cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine. All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

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