★★★★☆ 1/2 Finally one of the Russians sounds original in Brahms, if highly unusual

Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4

With this final release in his Brahms cycle, Vladimir Jurowski naturally finds himself competing with Valery Gergiev, his elder Russian compatriot also at the head of a major London orchestra. I was disappointed with Gergiev's cycle, which was moderate and resigned with almost no new ideas. Did Jurowski eclipse the more experienced Gergiev, and more importantly, did he prove that the Russians have a legitimate approach to Brahms?

Thanks partly to the clearer sonics, we instantly hear that Jurowski's Brahms is much fresher than Gergiev's. The opening movement of the 3rd Symphony feels alive and warm, and Jurowski voices with compelling impact. It's a tad on the lean side, though; it sounds more modernist than romantic. But it's more moving than I was anticipating. It has a very precise, rhythmic feel, but nothing seems stodgy—Jurowksi is fully involved. Heading into the heart of the movement, Jurowski doesn't try to compete with the heft of the Berlin Phil. He is still fairly lean, but again, surprisingly moving. He's not simply going through the motions, even if he's not outright passionate and far from turbulent. This is comparatively smooth sailing over a land of incredible beauty, realized impeccably. The back and forth between the strings is immaculate. Proceeding into the closing minutes, Jurowski is excitable, but he doesn't try to build to a ringing climax in the way that Karajan and Rattle do. He's entirely stripped of any pretense of nobility. It sounds a bit aloof, but only by a little.

Starting the 2nd movement, things feel a tad breezy. Jurowski certainly isn't waiting around to let the meaning sink in. He insists on keeping the line flowing, albeit with warm, loving detail. He's anything but Germanic; is this Brahms posing as Tchaikovsky? The line can feel impatient at times, only Jurowski can turn around and apply generous rubato. It all feels very un-Brahms, if I may say so, completely devoid of any nobility. Coming to the 3rd movement, we're becoming accustomed to the feel, which is warm, crisp, and to the point. Jurowski isn't specializing in richness or depth; he's not going to be caught lingering. He feels tender and sensitive once again, with traces of melancholy, although his outlook is resoundingly positive.

Jurowski stirs up a nice bit of energy in the finale, only he runs the risk of becoming brisk. He doesn't dig in, and the sound is clear-eyed and almost unaffected. Again, there's a stress on accuracy, even if it's never cold. Details are remarkably clear, and there's several times more life than with Gergiev. He almost bounces at times, with a surprising lack of gravity. Heading into the gorgeous closing bars, the mood is as sharp and to the point as at the beginning, still beautiful in its own way while being completely removed from the usual sound world of Brahms.

We've gotten a good taste of Jurowski's style in Brahms by now, so as we'd expect, he starts out the 4th Symphony with a graceful lilt instead of grandeur. It is gentle and swaying, not dark and turgid. It's refreshing on the one hand, yet as the movement progresses, one does wish there could be more passion. This is sensitive conducting that finds whole layers of new detail. Again, it can't be overemphasized just how un-Germanic and rigorous this is.

The 2nd movement is at once dry eyed and opulent. The London Philharmonic plays masterfully, and if you don't mind that the pathos isn't dominating, this is touching in its own way. Those of us who want the core of our soul to be touched won't be finding it here, though. Jurowski is still lean, as full as the orchestra sounds. That seems ironic, but as persuasive as his force is, he is avoiding a colossal sound. We head into the Scherzo with a steady trot, once again without bombast. This is light, carefree Brahms. Should one complain about the missing richness or rejoice in the abundant energy? I tend towards the latter, actually, and if nothing else, it's great to hear new ideas. It's one of the most energized accounts on disc.

Jurowski is jagged coming into the finale, with strong emphasis and swirling sounds. He's not very fateful. He's far from slack, though, and he proceeds with plenty of his own excitement. He simply doesn't allow himself to subscribe to the age-old traditional Brahms sound. We're not used to Brahms this clear-eyed, forward, and modernist. The ending itself has an abrupt ritard followed by an equally abrupt accelerando. It's eccentric but extremely interesting.

To come back to our original question, did Jurowski prove himself in this repertoire? Certainly he is far more convincing than Gergiev, as odd as this disc is in some ways. Unlike Gergiev, one does feel that Jurowski has his own originality. I usually demand more overt passion and romantic splendor in Brahms, but the conducting here sparkles with inspiration. I find Karajan, Bernstein, Tennstedt, and Rattle more consistently gripping, but I'm quick to welcome anything with a fresh breath of air. Jurowski qualifies, so I've decided to compromise and give this CD 4 and-a-half stars. I'll be sure to return to it. And in the wider perspective, this disc only increases Jurowski's credibility for consideration at another major European post. If the Berlin Philharmonic isn't eyeing him, they should be.