takt1 Exclusive: Brahms-Cycle in Bregenz

All four Brahms symphonies in two days: Philippe Jordan and the Vienna Symphonic celebrate Brahms’ symphonic works with a monumental cycle in Bregenz.

The first half of the Brahms cycle from Philippe Jordan and the Vienna Symphony begins with Brahms’ first and second symphony. Brahms wrote the two symphonies more or less back-to-back: after finishing the first in 1876, he reworked it again the following year. That same year, 1877, he composed the second. It would take a few years before the next two followed – Jordan and the Vienna Symphony postpone them until the following evening.

Like the first and second, the third and forth symphonies were composed more or less back-to-back, in 1883 and 1885 respectively. A live cycle of four very special works – it's not often you hear them played together in such quick succession. To find out more about the idea behind the project, Holger Noltze conducted exclusive interviews with the artistic directors of the Bregenz Festival and the Vienna Symphony.

English title Brahms cycle in Bregenz
Original title Brahms-Zyklus in Bregenz
Recording location Festspielhaus Bregenz
Recording date 05.08.2019
Production year 2019
Production Company takt1
Producer Simeon Klein
Director Michael Ciniselli
Sound Engineer Georg Burdicek
English title of music work Symphonies 1-4
Original title of music work Symphonien Nr. 1-4
Composer Johannes Brahms
Orchestra / Band Wiener Symphoniker
Conductor Philippe Jordan