SYMPHONY NO. 1 IN C MINOR, OP. 68 SYMPHONY NO. 2 IN D MAJOR, OP. 73 ''The Symphony'', said Johannes Brahms ''is not something one would trifle with these days''. This comment at least provides us with an initial answer as to why his first symphony was written so late. At the same time Brahms was expressing here the essential mindset of a whole generation of composers after Beethoven who had to cope with the heavy legacy of the “titan”. With his Ninth Symphony Beethoven has brought the genre to a level of perfection, so the received opinion, that could not be surpassed. After all, at the age of 43 Brahms rose to the challenge and, having entered into a productive confrontation with Beethoven he finally arrived at his own style – and his achievement is a work of great originality. Semyon Bychkov’s love and affection towards the music of Brahms - and here especially the symphonies – goes back to the beginnings of his conducting career and grew within the years. Being in symbiotic harmony with his WDR Symphony Orchestra, he shows us the depth and the magnificent density of texture and feeling within these symphonies.