I foolishly wished for a wet weekend, as discussed in yesterday’s blog, hoping to find time to spend listening to Brahms’ First Symphony without any temptations to venture outside. My idea was frustrated though when the rain cleared and my home town, Lewes, UK, flirted in the sunshine. I just had to take a walk – I managed the Brahms too of course. A perfect October weekend.
Great photos 🙂 I didn't venture out in the lovely Lewes sunshine today, but looking at your photos I can pretend I did!
Thanks Katie! It was a truly wonderful light today.
I wish I was there. I moved to the USA, hot and humid Florida, in 2006 from Richmond near Kew and so miss the gorgeous October days that you should here. So sunny it is almost warm during the day, and cooler at night as soon as the Sun descends. I too love Brahms First Symphony, just curious which conductor you listen too. I am partial to the later Furtwangler versions, but Bruno Walters account with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra is magnificent. Thanks for the wonderful post.
Thanks Eddi. It is particularly beautiful here at the moment but, before you get too nostalgic, we've had a dreary summer with low temperatures and a lot of rain. October is making up for it though.
The Brahms One recording I'm listening to at the moment is Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1976)- a particular favourite of mine as I got to know the work through Levine's passionate interpretation which got a bit too smooth in his later versions. I've also been playing the Furtwangler (1951), Klemperer (1959) – both wonderful, of course and John Eliot Gardiner (2008) – "historically informed" but a bit rough in parts. I'm interested to hear Bernstein's recordings of Brahms too but haven't heard any of them yet.