I had done some of the Brahms symphonies and wanted to do them all.

Where else, he asked, can they hear a Brahms symphony performed by "one of the world's great orchestras?"

"At breakfast, I might pass a Brahms symphony in my head" he said.

Richter had also conducted the first performances of two Brahms symphonies.

In two programs tonight and tomorrow night, he leads his players through all four of the Brahms Symphonies.

Of the four Brahms symphonies, he was invited by the recording companies to record only one, the Second.

"I had never heard a Brahms symphony until I played one," he said.

Everybody played the Brahms symphonies anyway, so why not just stick on the centennial label to add a little tone?

Brahms 4th symphony is inspired by the play.

He has recorded some of the central German repertory, like the Brahms symphonies.