An oft-overlooked bright star at twilight -- Günter Wand's live NDR Brahms symphonies cycle

So much for Celibidache, now it should be Günter Wand's turn, as they were both born in 1912 and the anniversary this year should be remembered for both of them.

When notable Brahms symphonies cycles are mentioned, "Wand's NDR cycle" is often among one of them. However, the term "Wand's NDR cycle" serves to perpetuate the misconception that Wand has recorded only one cycle, the studio one in 1982-1983. This misconception was further reinforced by critics who largely neglected his second cycle, also with NDR SO, but from live concerts in 1995-1997. A quick search in the Internet will confirm this phenomenon. It is such a pity because if you like his first cycle, I'm pretty sure you'll love his second if you get to know it.

Wand's live cycle (in lower left corner) along with the different issues of his earlier studio cycle

Since the late 1990s, Wand has made up his mind to do away with studio recordings as much as possible, and tried to preserve for us the spontaneity of a live concert in his recordings. His second Brahms cycle was initially planned to be completed in time for the 100th anniversary of the death of Brahms. However only Symphonies Nos. 1-3 were finished in time, because illness delayed his Brahms 4 concert to the end of 1997. The complete cycle was released only in 1998.

Before I listened to his second cycle, I was filled with some ambivalence. On the one hand I was full of expectations, of the excitement of his live concerts. On the other hand there was a certain degree of trepidation as I asked myself, "His first cycle is so good already; how can this second one better it?" Thank goodness I was not disappointed. I was beaming while listening to the First. Then I was filled with awe when subsequent symphonies were played, culminating in a true marvel at a magnificent Fourth.

Wand has a strong grasp of balance in Brahms, between movements and also within movements. His strong attribute in maintaining tension, as mentioned in my previous post on his Bruckner 8, is evident in each symphony here. Each phrase breathes with organic vigour, a magic brewed by the combination of his thoughtful articulation and the very nature of a live concert. Not unexpectedly from Wand, precision is a hallmark of the performances. Astounding is his exhibition of rigour in thematic and tonal relationship and motivic development, so important in Brahms. This rigour is finely balanced with romantic gestures of a prudent nature. Nothing is overdone. In his readings there is also a lovely degree of intimacy and warmth as the inner voices are not masked by the apparent thick scoring as under less-abled hands.

Wand opens the First Symphony with an urgent, even angry, pace. The transition into the Allegro proper is deftly done with a slight retardando. The music just flows seamlessly without mannerisms. It is crowned with an amazing Finale with vitality and exaltation. The Second Symphony is attractively bucolic on the whole. Light, shade and darkness are carefully taken care of. The Allegretto is full of sunny lyricism and the dancing is truly graceful reminiscent of Wand's felicity in those old Minuets. Wand exposes, balances and resolves the dichotomy or duality of rhythms, themes and emotions in the Third Symphony with expert control and prudent restrain, without indulging in excessiveness. There is a natural progression of the melodic line from one orchestral section to another, as in the Andante, where the woodwinds are particularly lovely. The autumnal glow is so mesmerising. Wand ushers in the final measures of the Finale, a recurrence of the first movement's descending main theme, with such humble poetic poignancy that moves me almost to tears. To me it is one of the best Brahms' Thirds on record. But that's not the end. More is to come in the Fourth Symphony.

After listening to the Fourth, Elisabet von Herzogenberg, a good friend and piano pupil of Brahms', wrote to him: "I have had a strange experience with the work, the deeper I look into it, the more the texture deepens, the more the stars appear in the twilight which at first hides the sparkling points, the more pleasures I have, expected or unexpected, and the clearer the continuous tension becomes." I will finish by saying that this quote expresses succinctly, and much better than I could have put into words, my feelings towards Wand's readings in his second Brahms cycle.

Recording details:

Venue: Musikhalle Hamburg

First: 21-23 April 1996

Second: 9-11 July 1996

Third: 9-11 April 1995

Fourth: 7-9 December 1997
All live recordings

P.S. I'm happy to learn that my love of this Brahms cycle, particularly the Third and Fourth, is echoed by a friend of mine who is a veteran classical music critic. Surprisingly he told me he was not aware of this set when I mentioned to him that one of the attractions of the new Korean 33-CD set is the inclusion of this live Brahms cycle. He asked me to lend him these CDs and, lo and behold, he emailed me a couple of weeks later telling me happily that he could find someone to hunt down these CDs for him, but at a premium of more than double the original price! He seldom, if ever, bought CDs at such ridiculous price.