Brahms ① Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 ② Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90 Conductor: Seiji Ozawa Saito Kinen Orchestra Recorded: September 1991 This is one disc from Seiji Ozawa and the Saito Kinen Orchestra's earliest complete recording of Brahms' symphonies. This is a landmark performance that showcased Ozawa's sharp sensitivity to works from the Austro-German tradition, and it is a historical masterpiece that astonished music fans in Europe. The sound is beautiful. The ensemble's high level of skill is astonishing. Music critic: Kofuku Uno "The Saito Kinen Orchestra, centered on young soloists from the school of the great teacher Hideo Saito, is not a permanent ensemble. Because of its lack of color and individuality, it has succeeded in directly translating Ozawa's musicality into sound, creating a pure and beautiful performance. Ozawa's expression is neither intense nor profound. The balance is always maintained at the highest level, and the performance proceeds without individuality, but here, each member of the orchestra works hard and has a fresh, moving feeling for the music, so fresh and fulfilling music, free from the wear and tear of familiarity, flows out with refreshing elegance." The second symphony is filled with a pastoral serenity and a feeling of happiness, with flowing and expansive musical ideas that flow smoothly, like burnished silver. The third symphony, with its beautiful third movement that holds boundless longing and was skillfully used in a film, is impressive for its masculine and powerful musical ideas. Recorded in Nijmegen, Netherlands, this disc features a performance filled with passion. Especially the string section, as the orchestra is composed of many soloists, has an overwhelming volume of strings, and I believe that this resulted in a unique, thick Brahms performance. Symphony No. 2 is often performed powerfully and boldly, but this performance is not in that direction, but rather is full of a light and refreshing atmosphere, and the beauty of the sound makes it very beautiful. Moreover, it is by no means fragile. Symphony No. 3 has a similar tendency, but this one is even more lyrical and can be said to be elegant. The recording is also excellent, without complaint. It is not the so-called "German-style" Brahms, but this Brahms, which stands out for its delicacy, is also very attractive.