Chamber Orchestra of Europe Perform Brahms at Carnegie Hall

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Monday, 09 February 2026 17:52

Written by Jack Angstreich

Photo by Jennifer Taylor

At the wonderful Stern Auditorium, on the night of Tuesday, December 9th, 2025, I had the privilege to attend an excellent concert—presented by Carnegie Hall—of music by Johannes Brahms, featuring the fine Chamber Orchestra of Europe, under the outstanding direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. 

The event started brilliantly with a superb and especially dynamic reading of the marvelous Tragic Overture. Soloists Veronika Eberle and Jean-Guihen Queyras then entered the stage for an accomplished account of the undervalued Concerto for Violin and Cello in A Minor, Op. 102, from 1887. The initial Allegro movement begins boldly but, after some challenging writing for the two virtuosi, it swiftly becomes more expansive—the development is unusually complex—and it ends forcefully. The ensuing Andante is largely melodious and lyrical, although with some “rebarbative” moments; it closes gently. The finale, marked Vivace ma non troppo, is energetic with dance-like rhythms and is often charming but with passages of greater intensity; it concludes affirmatively.

The second half of the evening was probably even stronger: a magnificent realization of the extraordinary Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68, completed in 1876 after a long genesis. The initial movement begins portentously with an Un poco sostenuto introduction—its much faster main body is highly passionate although with some leisurely interludes, finishing softly. The slow movement it precedes—its tempo is Andante sostenuto—is song-like and enchanting, often with a waltz-like quality—it too ends quietly. The succeeding, Un poco allegretto e grazioso movement is joyful and lively, while the finale has an Adagio introduction that is solemn and suspenseful; its main body begins majestically—much that follows is exultant and exhilarating and it builds to a powerful climax before closing triumphantly.

The artists deservedly received a standing ovation.