 | EMI Great Recordings of Century - Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4/Klemperer by Johannes Brahms
Buy new: $34.98 / Used from: $21.99 Probably the greatest all inclusive set of the symphonies. Electric readings by Klemperer that have been remastered at a decent price. Also available as singles.
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 | Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Haydn Variations; Academic Festival Overture
Buy used from: $5.21 A very close second to Klemperers set, these Bruno Walter readings with the Columbia SO. Absolutely essential for anyone who loves these works. Unfortunately, they do not come boxed together...
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 | Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $7.95 Walter's Brahms 2 and 3 with the Columbia SO.
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 | Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Tragic Overture; Schicksalslied
Buy used from: $24.00 Walter's Brahms 4 with the Columbia SO.
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 | Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4; Haydn-Variations; Tragic Overture
Buy used from: $20.50 A clear third choice- Sanderling's readings are first rate, and the Dresden is right on their game.
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 | Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Haydn Variations; Hungarian Dances
Buy new: $6.98 / Used from: $1.39 Szell's Brahms 1 with the Cleveland SO- everything you would expect from the master of precision. Hungarian Dances done by Ormandy / Philadelphia are really good, too.
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 | Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Buy used from: $2.89 Szell's Brahms 2 and 3- out of print, but occasionally a good copy pops up here for the collector- pick it up if you can.
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 | Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Academic Festival Overture; Tragic Overture
Buy new: $6.98 / Used from: $3.56 Szell's Brahms 4 with the Cleveland SO
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 | Brahms: The 4 Symphonies
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $9.65 A great rock steady Brahms cycle by Abravanel and Utah, especially for the price!
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 | Brahms: The Symphonies
Buy used from: $22.22 These are another must have for the collector- Berglund's chamber orchestra versions are obviously slightly smaller sounding, but interpretively right on the money.
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 | Johannes Brahms: The Symphonies
Buy new: $27.99 / Used from: $15.00 Another interesting choice- Solti with the Chicago Symphony. His tempi can be questionable at times, but still all in all a great set.
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 | Brahms: The Symphonies
Haitink's Brahms cycle with the Concertgebouw. Killer strings and great overall sound. Also available as single discs.
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 | Brahms: The Four Symphonies by Johannes Brahms
Buy new: $28.47 / Used from: $12.25 A very interesting piece of scholarship by MacKerras concerning Brahms' symphony tempi variations, but be ready for a wild ride- not for the faint of heart. Also available as single discs.
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 | Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4 (Box Set)
Buy used from: $123.66 Gunter Wand's Brahms cycle- not a first choice, but still a solid reading. Also available as single discs.
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 | Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Academic Festival Overture; Tragic Overture
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $2.99 The beginning of Alsop's Brahms cycle on Naxos. Great sound, but not as intense as some.
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 | Brahms: Symphony No. 2 - Hungarian Dances by Brahms
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $1.24 Alsop's Brahms 2
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 | Brahms: The Symphonies; Overtures; Haydn Variations, etc.. / Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra by Johannes Brahms (Composer)
Buy new: $152.49 / Used from: $33.52 Here's the complete Abbado set- good modern digital sound, but his tempi tend towards the dramatic slow side... these are also available as single discs.
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 | Furtwangler Conducts Brahms - Complete Symphonies, etc / North German RSO, Berlin PO
Buy new: $39.49 / Used from: $19.69 An electric cycle by Furtwangler, but unfortunately in old Mono sound...
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![Leonard Bernstein Conducts Brahms (Collectors Edition) [Box Set]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51N6HMC-qpL._SL75_.jpg) | Leonard Bernstein Conducts Brahms (Collectors Edition) [Box Set]
Buy new: $35.99 / Used from: $29.98 Lenny's Brahms cycle, reissued on DG.
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 | Brahms: The Complete Symphonies / Karajan, Berlin PO
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $8.99 My personal least favorite, included here for posterity: I'm not a Karajan fan in general.
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