Brahms: Symphonie No. 1 - Tragic Overture / Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Bohm / Belart Audio CD Stereo / 450 107-2

UPC 028945010724

The Tragic Overture (German: Tragische Ouvertüre), Op. 81, is a concert overture for orchestra written by Johannes Brahms during the summer of 1880. It premiered, under Hans Richter, on 26 December 1880 in Vienna. Eight days later, it was repeated at the University of Breslau on a program with the premiere of the Academic Festival Overture. Most performances last between twelve and fifteen minutes.

Brahms chose the title "tragic" to emphasize the turbulent, tormented character of the piece, in essence a free-standing symphonic movement, in contrast to the mirthful ebullience of a companion piece he wrote the same year, the Academic Festival Overture. Despite its name, the Tragic Overture does not follow any specific dramatic program. Brahms summed up the effective difference in character between the two overtures when he declared "one laughs while the other cries."

Tracklist:

Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 68

[1] 1. Satz: Un poco sostenuto - Allegro   12:34

[2] 2. Satz: andante sostenuto   9:25

[3] 3. Satz: Un poco allegretto e grazioso - attacca   4:30

[4] 4. Satz: Adagio - Allegro non troppo ma con brio   16:28

Tragic Overture, op. 81

[5] Allegro non troppo — Molto pitt moderato - Tempo primo -
      un poco sostenuto — in tempo   13:36

• Orchestra - Berliner Philharmoniker
• Conducted by - Karl Bohm