Re-reading Brahms by Markus Poschner

In light of the latest discoveries by the Lübeck Brahms-Institute an exciting journey into the complete performance and recording of Brahms symphonies

The music of Johannes Brahms remains a staple in concert halls around the world today, with a sound all its own that continues to touch us. So why should a conductor re-interpret the four symphonies or great concertos by this north-German composer who chose Vienna as his home? Why should we as an audience listen to his music with new ears? Brahms has been played continuously by the great orchestras of the world. So why not simply interpret and perform his music in the now familiar way? Naturally, traditions can reify to become rigid notions and clichés.
“ Brahms symphonic repertoire seems almost to have been conceived for this orchestra. The project will enable us to explore aspects of his music that are already present in chamber writing but have all too often been overlooked in the symphonies”
In light of the latest discoveries in musicology by the Lübeck Brahms-Institute, German conductor Markus Poschner puts all his extraordinary energy into this symphonic treasure, which might have been written specially for the characteristics of the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana.
In this Re-reading of Brahms’ symphonies we find the transparent sound, the audible polyphony, the importance of the middle voices similar to chamber music, and not least the flexibility in tempi. The requirements for such a flexible Brahms are excellent in Lugano: with a Meininger-like array of ten first violins or the 19th-century trombones. Let us open our ears for a new, surprising Brahms experience in a new concert hall!

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Original title Rileggendo Brahms
English title Rereading Brahms
Genre Concert
Duration 1x 169'
Conductor Markus Poschner
Orchestra / Band Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana