Here are two strongly contrasted readings of the First Symphony. Jiri Belohlavek, now in his mid-forties, is a well-established figure in Czechoslovakia and has held increasingly important posts with the Czech Philharmonic, the Brno State Philharmonic and the Prague Symphony Orchestra. Supraphon's notes do not mention Belohlavek, but they do discuss Brahms and his First Symphony in four languages, one of which is a strange variety of English. Such inadequate presentation, plus a short playing time at full-price, immediately places Belohlavek's disc at a competitive disadvantage. His performance is full of interest, however, and he is given a more than adequate recording.
Belohlavek conducts the beginning of the work in a very slow, deliberate fashion, although the music still flows and makes considerable impact. The main Allegro section of the first movement seems almost dangerously slow, but there's much spirit and imagination in evidence and the musical argument is ultimately spelt out in a most satisfying manner. There is no exposition repeat, though in a performance of this kind repetition of the opening material might prove too much of a good thing. As it is, the movement makes a strong effect in Belohlavek's hands. He guides the second movement in a similarly broad, thoughtful fashion. The music again flows well enough, and is caringly and carefully moulded to form a highly effective interpretation. The third movement moves easily and pleasantly along its path, and the finale is very well-balanced and clearly argued, with judiciously chosen tempos. The coda, while not exactly overwhelming, makes a good, satisfying conclusion to the work.
In my view Sir Colin Davis's performances here preserve his best Brahms on record so far. His interpretation of the symphony has fewer individual touches than Belohlavek's—in fact it is extremely orthodox and middle of the road. RCA's engineering is wholly satisfactory, while the playing of the Bavarian orchestra is first class, perhaps even a little better than that of the Czech Philharmonic. Davis's account of the first movement's slow introduction is sound and sensible, and he plays the main part of the movement (again, without the repeat) in an idiomatic, though perhaps not very gripping, fashion. The slow movement is attractively phrased at the outset and there's plenty of expression, but here one is made particularly aware of a certain reticence. As in previous issues in his cycle, it seems that Sir Colin doesn't enter Brahms's world with the same relish as he does those of some other romantic composers. The music has much care and sharpness of intellect brought to bear on it, but it doesn't communicate with the same warmth and ease of utterance as the versions by Klemperer (EMI) or Toscanini on RCA. (Here I should add that Toscanini's performance is not coupled with Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, as an editorial insertion led me to suggest last April.) Davis plays the third movement nicely. Nevertheless, the basic tempo is a shade slow and the finale, though skilfully put together, seems a little withdrawn; somewhat lacking in expressive power until the coda, which does blaze out more satisfyingly.
I thoroughly enjoyed Davis's performance of the Haydn Variations; his tempos are all well chosen and there is much imagination and wit in his conducting. The current recommendations for the symphony listed above are not, however, seriously challenged by either of these new issues.'