Superlative is certainly the word to describe these recordings. While some have questioned Ormandy's credentials as a Beethoven interpreter, his complete identification with the music of Brahms is never in doubt here. The conductor's understanding, coupled with the gorgeous playing of the Philadelphia Orchestra, put this set in a class by itself. In 1999, Robert Matthew-Walker wrote in the Gramophone publication International Classical Record Collector, "... no matter what musical criteria are employed in judging recordings, Ormandy's final statements on these works, central to his conducting for 50 years, are unsurpassed."

The excellent remastering of the symphonies and the inclusion of Ormandy's readings of the Haydn Variations, Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel (arranged by Edmund Rubbra), the Academic Festival Overture and five Hungarian Dances make this set essential for lovers of Brahms and for Ormandy collectors. Grab it before it disappears!