Chalk up one more who has at best a lukewarm feeling about the Brahms
symphonies.  I find much that is inviting in the 2nd and 3rd and
little that is in the others.  The 4th excites at best an intellectual
curiosity--much as I admire the ingenious use of the orchestra (his best
ever) in the first movement, I get to the end and think "so what?" The
first has some fine moments in the inner movements, but the overall
dramatic progression leaves me unconvinced.  And about his orchestration
the less said the better (check the archives for some of my past comments
on this).

Aaron J. Rabushka
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