‘Brahms’ First Symphony was possibly the most completely accomplished and mature first symphony ever written by anybody (or at least up until Elgar). Brahms was an ultimate musical craftsman and ruthlessly self-critical, and the relatively high opus number of his symphony – 68 – is an indication of how seriously he took the daunting prospect of writing a symphony in the shadow of Beethoven. The profound drama of the first movement, the ineffable beauty of the slow movement, and the radiant grandeur of the finale attest to the utter mastery that Brahms had attained by the age of 43. He had been wise to wait.’