Abbado's fine new DG recording of the Second Symphony is quickly followed by another very satisfying version from Muti and the Philadelphia. In this Brahms symphony, at any rate, there are now at least three modern performances which can hold their head high in the company of classic interpretations from the past.
It was Muti's recording of the Fourth Symphony (Philips (CD) 422 337-2PH, 6/89) which suggested that he had achieved a new maturity as a Brahms conductor, and the latest issue more than confirms those impressions. Here his style is very expressive and very romantic, more so than any of the conductors listed above, but he is experienced and level-headed enough to prevent this from going too far, so that the classical, objective element in Brahms's emotional make-up is faithfully preserved. There are just one or two moments in the symphony where points are made rather too subjectively, but these are so fleeting that they do not disturb a basically well-balanced conception of the score
Muti conducts the opening of the work in a gentle, reflective, soft-grained fashion, and lets the music's impetus and vigour develop easily and naturally. It's a very finely judged, well-argued, mellow account of the movement, and the Philadelphia Orchestra play with magnificent tonal depth and sonority. The basic tempo of the second movement veers towards being too slow—Adagio non troppo is Brahms's direction—yet Muti's very skilful handling of this movement, very sensuous, highly romantic, but again finely balanced, achieves a satisfactory marriage between the music's emotional and intellectual elements. A clearly stated, still expressive reading of the third movement is followed by a finale where Muti encourages the music's natural drive and high spirits, but is still careful to maintain a good sense of balance arid clarity. His disc is completed by an uplifting, but slightly unorthodox account of the Academic Festival Overture where quite marked fluctuations of tempo may unsettle some listeners.
Abbado's performance of the symphony shares with Muti a feeling of spaciousness, but it is just a little more objective, and in the finale there is even a little too much restraint. Both conductors play the first movement repeat, which the other contenders do not. Karajan's DG recording with the BPO has an attractively lyrical quality, as does his Philharmonia mid-price EMI version, while Klemperer (also on (mid-price; EMI) brings more strength and character to the score, though he by no means lacks warmth and tenderness. The latter's 1956 recording is somewhat unvarnished, but his is the performance I would choose. The new Muti is probably the most satisfying of the modern versions.'