The Cleveland Orchestra is the “aristocrat among American orchestras” (The Telegraph) and its sovereign, Franz Welser-Möst, rules his subjects with a velvet glove. Indeed, velvet and silk keep showing up in descriptions of the Clevelanders’ sound under its principal conductor. It is Welser-Möst’s nimble alternation between smoothness and a sound that’s as “sharp-edged as a skyscraper” (The Telegraph after the Brahms’ First at the orchestra’s London Proms concert). That keeps the ensemble and the audience figuratively on its toes. This collection features performances of works by Brahms, including all four symphonies, Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, Violin Concerto in D Major, and others. The capable soloists featured on the recording are pianist Yefim Bronfman and violinist Julia Fischer.
