US Press

SDG702 - Brahms Symphony 1 (9 Nov 2008)

'Every instrumental line is played with gripping conviction, and the strings swoop from note to note the way they did a century ago. The first movement introduction assaults the heavens, and the slow movement is almost sentimental but with backbone... the orchestral texture has Mr. Gardiner's characteristically luminous transparency. You'd think you were listening to some pre-Furtwängler conductor in fabulous sound.' - Lawson Taitte, A-, DALLAS MORNING NEWS ­
 
'...what especially delights this listener is the sense of freshness Gardiner brings to the task...  the conductor and his instrumentalists provide us with something quite apart from the usual sit-up-straight-and-listen-because-this-is-great-stuff performance. Call it suppleness, a lightness of touch, and most tellingly, an obvious affection for the music.'
 - Mike Silverton, Stereo Times 
 
'... as the series has grown it has become my favorite of the Bach cycles. Over Harnoncourt's, Koopman's, and Suzuki's, among the most recent series.All three of these are competitive and have particular virtues and fans who value them accordingly. But what Gardiner brings is an energy and joie de vive which in the main escapes the others..." - Bob Neill, POSITIVEFEEDBACK.COM ­