Suggestion for Brahms

For the First Piano Concerto, my top choice is the superb Curzon/Szell/London Symphony performance on London/Decca. Another very fine version is with Serkin/Szell/Cleveland Orch. on Sony(cd) or Columbia(vinyl lp).

In the Second Piano Concerto, the Serkin/Szell/Cleveland is, I feel, a classic.

Try also the wonderful Double Concerto with Heifetz, Piatigorsky and Wallenstein on RCA or the Schneiderhan, Starker and Fricsay on DG.

Excellent complete sets with The Four Symphonies include any of the following: Klemperer/Philharmonia Orch. on EMI, Solti/Chicago Symp. on London/Decca and the more recent Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic on EMI. Some outstanding individual renditions other than some of those from the above sets include: Symphony #1---Walter/Columbia Sym. on Sony Symp.#2---Kertesz/Vienna Phil. on London vinyl lp because the cd is currently out of print. Symp.#3---Jochum/London Symphony on EMI. Symp.#4---Reiner/Royal Philharmonic on Chesky. If you don't mind monophonic sound, the Jochum/Berlin Philharmonic set of the Four Brahms Symphonies on DG Originals is marvelous, and its sound is really quite good.

Brahms' Violin Concerto: Either of these two are gems: Heifetz/Reiner/Chicago Symphony on RCA or Oistrakh/Klemperer/French Nat'l Radio Symp. on EMI.

Try at least one of his chamber pieces. The Clarinet Quintet brims with an autumnal presence. The interpretation by Karl Leister with the Leipzig String Quartet on the MD&G label is glorious.

I'd also like to suggest you listen to a different but very satisfying work by Dvorak, a composer who was a good friend of Brahms: Symphony No. 8, with Istvan Kertesz conducting the London Symphony Orchestra on London/Decca or Rafael Kubelik conducting the Berlin Philharmonic on DG.

I agree wholeheartedly with Daverz' praise for the Brahms Symphonies conducted by Bruno Walter with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. I did not mention them in the entire set versions above because, as far as I know, they are not available in the same single package cd format as the Klemperer, Solti and Rattle compilations. Notwithstanding, I much prefer lp vinyl, and enjoy immensely the Walter and Klemperer sets/performances in that format. Incidentally, in any recommendations I ever make, my top consideration reflects interpretation(though I realize its personal or subjective nature). I make exceptions to that "rule" only if I consider the recorded sound to be irritating(usually, too bright or strident).