Beethoven Symphonies - best perf + sonics on CD

Can we go back to Brahms for a second? Yesterday I made the trip to Chicago to hear Thielemann/Dresden State Orchestra do the Brahms 4. Wow, that was some kind of Brahms. Best Brahms 4 I ever heard. Well worth 7 hours of driving and a $30 parking bill. Anyone else make the concert?

I'm going to have to rethink my preference for Italian conductors and Brahms.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006VOWTZI/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=clacdrev-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B006VOWTZI&adid=073WMM6BMAN4D3Q1YAXN&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.classical-cd-reviews.com%2F2012%2F06%2Fbrahms-symphonies-andrew-manze.html

Brownsfan... so that's where you've been. Lucky you.

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2013/04/thielemann-batiashvili-and-dresden-orchestra-serve-up-memorable-afternoon-of-brahms/

Lowrider, It was one of those experiences you don't forget. It was, for me at least, the Brahms 4 that stole the show. The violin concerto was very good. Not great. It was cool seeing the concerto played on the ex-Joachim Strad, which I presume was used at the first concert in Leipzig. I was sitting in the 4th row, main floor, right in front of the soloist. At the end of the 4th, during the applause, Christian looked me right in the eye and said Thank You (not danke). Then he turned to the audience and said, "you know what we are going to play." We got the Wagner as the encore. Superb! Makes me want to move to Dresden!.

"We got the Wagner as the encore."
He must really like Chicago.

(I sent u a PM).