Search - Brahms, Munch, Jesen :: Symphony 1 / Violin Sonata 3

An Old Warhorse and a New Acquaintance

Kevin Cushman | Sedona, AZ United States | 04/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1961, when I was 14, I was buying one album about every two or three weeks. I had my eye on Munch and The Boston Symphony Orchestra's 1956 recording of Brahms 1st Symphony and had planned to buy it when my mother surprised me and bought it by Rafael Kubelik and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. I was a little disappointed but when I played it, I loved it and I never got around to buying Munch's version.



Last year I corresponded with Dylana Jenson, who was a phenom violinist in the 1980's. Low and behold when I looked up her available recordings on Amazon.com, I discovered her 1982 recording of Brahms Violin Sonata No. 3, Op. 108 coupled with this same Brahms 1st by Munch and The Boston Symphony Orchestra that I almost bought in 1961. Talk about luck!



I'm not a musicologist but I do know what I like and both of these works are first rate. One of my favorite parts in the 1st Symphony comes about 8 minutes into the first movement and lasts about a minute. Munch's version of that part is the first recording I've ever been able to love as much as Kubelik's 1957 version.



It's sometimes hard to break old habits and move on to newer versions of various pieces. However, I do prefer my old recordings (almost all of which are on CD now) than to the newer versions with supposedly better sound. If you can find this recording, you won't be disappointed."