Christoph von Dohnányi, Cleveland Orchestra - Johannes Brahms: Symphonies 3 & 4; Violin Concerto; Haydn Variations (2000)

There are no highlights in this cycle - the level of consistency is remarkable - but Dohnanyi's Third has always been regarded as one of the three or four reference recordings of the symphony. And rightfully so. Rarely are conductors been able to elicit such an unclogged sound from an orchestra on modern instruments while maintaining such a high level of focused energy. The brass work in the first movement is stunning while the wind parts all register with appropriate clarity. The appearance of the coda is violent and awesomely effective. The two central movements balance each other nicely; the andante flows naturally, never dragging, while the poco allegretto features some wonderfully full-bodied playing from the strings. The finale is stunning from start to finish. But it is the passionate build-up to the recapitulation that is so special about this performance. That the orchestra could create such an explosive sound while still maintaining an appropriate sense of balance is truly a testament to the quality of the orchestra under Dohnanyi's tenure.
Dohnanyi's E-minor Symphony is one of the few conceptions that correctly captures the transition from start to finish. Like Carlos Kleiber and Kent Nagano, Dohnanyi is able to highlight the architectural genius of this, Brahms's most magnificent symphony. His first movement is appropriately intellectual, but never sounds overly clinical, studied, or academic. The andante is played like a true romanze, featuring stunningly full-bodied horn work. The horns deliver an equally magnificent sound in the third movement, the only true symphonic scherzo the composer ever wrote. Dohnanyi correctly captures to bumptious energy of the music but never succumbs to the tendency towards pompous banality that inflicts so many other performances. Best of all, Dohnanyi delivers a finale that is second to none - his concentration throughout is shocking. What is so special about this performance is how Dohnanyi is able to highlight the uniqueness of Brahms writing. The music is, at its most basic, a passacaglia, a Spanish dance based on an ostinato bass theme. However, Brahms uses the passacaglia theme for a set of thirty otherworldly variations. However, he structures these variations in such a way as to create the illusion of sonata form, complete with exposition, development, recapitulation, and coda. Never has a performance captured the multi-facetedness of the writing like Dohnanyi does. It also does not hurt that the playing and energy throughout is unyielding, sustained right through the final chord.
The Variations are, simply put, the best on disc. Like in the passacaglia, Dohnanyi masterfully highlights the various episodes while still maintaining an appropriate musical arch. The final passages are awesomely effective; all the while, the playing and concentration is second-to-none.
Thomas Zehetmair may not be as well known as some of the other violinists that have recorded this concerto, but his performance, married with Dohnanyi's brilliant accompaniment, is certainly equal any of the better performances on disc. Furthermore, unlike most other romantic concertos, all four of Brahms's concertos are essentially symphonies with a soloist, so it is paramount that the orchestra be on the same level as the soloist. Here, Cleveland plays the music to the hilt, delivering the perfect base for Zehetmair's fine finger work.

–Prescott Cunningham Moore