Johannes Brahms - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 (Kent Nagano)

Information

Composer: Johannes Brahms

• Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68
• Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73

Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg

Kent Nagano, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: BIS

_____________________

Led by conductor Kent Nagano, recipient of the 2024 Brahms Prize, this live concert recording features the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra, where Nagano served as Principal Conductor from 2015 to 2025, performing Johannes Brahms's first two symphonies. The Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, reflects its 20-year gestation in a dramatic journey from dark chromaticism to a triumphant C-major finale. In contrast, the Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, written in the summer of 1877, offers a bright, lyrical warmth through serene horn calls and an exuberant closing movement, securing its place as an accessible favorite.

Kent Nagano (b. 1951) is a highly respected conductor known for his work in both opera and orchestral music. He gained early acclaim in 1984 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and as assistant to Seiji Ozawa for the premiere of Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise. He later served as Music Director of Opéra National de Lyon (1988–1998), the Hallé Orchestra (1991–2000), and became the first Music Director of Los Angeles Opera in 2003. Since 2015, he has been General Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera and Chief Conductor of the Hamburg Philharmonic. From 2006 to 2020, he led the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, becoming its Conductor Emeritus in 2021.

High Resolution 24-bit / 48 kHz