NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / »Alle vier ab vier« / »All Four at Four«

The first part of the afternoon features two especially popular symphonies from the master – the long-awaited first, with which Brahms finally broke away from his idol Beethoven, culminates in a now famous anthemic melody that graces the television screens in Hamburg daily as the opening jingle of the programme »Hamburg Journal«. The idyllic Second Symphony reveals Brahms’ joyous, lyrical side. A theme all children can recognise appears in the first movement: Brahms’ Lullaby »Good evening, good night...«.

In the second part of the symphony marathon Brahms’ Third Symphony is up first, one of the most ingeniously constructed and at the same time emotionally poignant creation of the composer. The Fourth Symphony’s opening motif once received malicious criticism with the words »he can’t come up with anything new anymore« - a bigger load of nonsense has seldom been heard in music history! Brahms’ Fourth is believed by many connoisseurs and Brahms-lovers today to be one of the most complete symphonies of all time.