sports
Brahms’ Last Concert review
Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonThis recreation of the final concert that the composer attended – only weeks before his death aged 63 – featured his fourth symphony, Dvorak’s Cello Concerto and Haydn’s symphony no 73.
TL;DR
- The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) recreated the exact program of a concert attended by Johannes Brahms shortly before his death.
- The concert featured Brahms' Fourth Symphony, Dvořák's Cello Concerto, and Haydn's Symphony No. 73, performed on 1890s instruments.
- Cellist Steven Isserlis was the soloist for the Dvořák concerto, displaying a range of emotional expression.
- The performance of Brahms' symphony was described as classically styled with light vibrato and varied dynamics.
- The reviewer felt the performance could have conveyed more of the symphony's provocative potential for its original audience.