I had a difficult day yesterday.  I had a two hour drive to a meeting, which was interrupted by a flat tire, and then ultimately ended in disappointment as the person I was meeting with forgot and was not there.  Then a two hour drive back home on a spare tire.  Lovely.


Anyway, all that driving time did allow me to review Brahms Symphony 2 and 3.  I will review the second symphony today and come back with my thoughts on the 3rd tomorrow.

The music is beautiful, very moving.  Yet, this was not my favorite.  I have to confess that I found it to be perhaps a bit melodramatic?  Is that a word we can apply to music?  If so, then I think that shoe fits particularly well.  I found the four movements a little overdone and showy.  Again, performed very nicely and pleasant to listen to, but just not my favorite. 

Perhaps my bad day played in?  I went back and re-listened to the second this morning in my office, and my feelings remain the same.  Not that I would not recommend this, just not as highly as the Beethoven I so much enjoyed.

In my mind, I would compare Brahms Symphony 2 to a Michael Bay movie.  Full of special effects and explosions and terrific if you want to turn your brain off for a while and just sort of... be.  But it did not make me pause and stop to carefully consider the music, or try to anticipate what was coming next.

Tomorrow I will re-examine the 3rd Symphony and post thoughts on it then.  We will see if my mood improves...