Arte Nova's reissues of its recordings from the 1990s may not be for the connoisseurs who bypassed them the first time out, but others may find that many of these CDs offer perfectly fine performances and that they are quite suitable for building a classical library at a reasonable cost. Of course, there are many excellent versions of Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, and anyone who cares to compare classic and modern interpretations can choose from a long list, from historic 78s to contemporary digital discs, by practically any famous conductor and orchestra you can name. But this 1996 performance by Cristian Mandeal and the "George Enescu" Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra is a good choice for listeners who aren't put off by unfamiliar names and who merely want a performance that is intelligently conducted, solidly played, cleanly recorded, and affordably priced. Everything in the score is audible in this polished studio session, and the orchestra is big hearted in expression, warmly Romantic in tone, and glorious in sonority. Mandeal and his musicians deliver a mainstream interpretation that would be hard to distinguish from any of the prominent recordings of the late twentieth century, and their grand presentation of the Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, gives added value to the package, so at half the cost of any major label's release, this budget disc is a real bargain. These performances are also available in Mandeal's box set of Brahms' complete symphonies and other orchestral works, released by Arte Nova in 2001. ~ Blair Sanderson, Rovi
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