Brahms: Symphony No. 3 / Dvořák: Symphony No. 8

Antonín Dvo?ák described his impressions of his first encounter with Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 3 as follows: "I say and do not exaggerate that this work surpasses his two first symphonies; if perhaps not in size and powerful conception, but certainly in – beauty! There is a mood in it that is not often found in Brahms! What glorious melodies are to be found there! It is pure love and it makes your heart soar!" The same can be added without exaggeration: The last two statements also fit perfectly with Dvo?ák's Symphony No. 8, even though Brahms once remarked that Dvorak's Eighth was very well made as a symphony, but that it lacked the "most important thing". Precisely from this contradictory perspective, the now-presented juxtaposition of both works is of particular importance. Also noteworthy in this concept album is the character of the two works, if one thinks, for example, of the final movements: Brahms ends with a farewell song – here Mahler is anticipated -, in which after solemnly comforting chorales the music quietly falls silent with bated breath … and the audience also remains silent and inwardly moved for a longer time … In addition, the last movement in Dvo?ák forms an extreme contrast: It is a movement full of turbulence, it begins with fanfares, at which one would like to jump out of the chair and ends with a stormy triumphal march, which proves that Dvorak has freed himself from all the shackles of tradition. The Bamberger Symphoniker with their young Czech chief conductor Jakub Hr?ša are certainly among the interpreters called for this unique musical kinship of Romanticism. That these words are not premature praise is proven by the great response to the first album with Brahms' Fourth and Dvo?ák's Ninth "From the New World" as well as regarding the production of Smetana's "My Fatherland".