Brahms

We heard the Bremen Kammerphilharmonie play an all Brahms concert.  I was excited to hear this concert because it was in Alice Tully Hall, a smaller venue normally used for chamber music; I was hoping to hear a clearer and more detailed sound.  Unfortunately, the conductor, Paavo Jarvi, was more interested in a tempestuous, impulsive version of Brahms, which emphasized fluctuating tempi and extreme dynamics over clarity.  Several extreme pianissimos brought the music to a halt.   The result was exciting at times, but, overall, I don't think Brahms needs that much interpretive reading.  The program included the first piano concerto and the second symphony.   There were two encores from the Hungarian dances, where Jarvi's showoff conducting was over the top.
Still, there is nothing like hearing Brahms orchestral works performed live, and hearing his endlessly (relentlessly?) inventive musical ideas is a treat.