Search - Frantz, Philharmonie Der Nationen :: Finest Concerts [Germany]

An Undiscovered Gem at a Bargain price

Robert Mueller | Seattle WA | 07/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this based on finding Justus Frantz' recordings of Bruckner and Tchaikovsky to be fresh, vital, and dramatic. I was unable to find what works were being performed on the 4 CD package, as Amazon failed to include even minimal information. I took a chance, since the price was extremely low and my respect for Frantz quite high.



I was rewarded with vivid, exciting, and well played accounts, including:

Mozart's Symphonies 40 and 41

Brahms' Symphony 2

Weber's Oberon Overture

Mendelssohn and Schumann Symphonies 4

Bruckner Symphony 7



All of them have become my favorite or near-favorite accounts. My only slight disappointment was in the coda of Brahms' 2, where I would have preferred more prominent brass. As with other Frantz recordings, I have enjoyed them even more upon repeated hearings. Then, I have become familiar with his inner intentions, as opposed to my preconceived expectation."