It is unusual , IMO in a good way .That size and sometime single violin to a part is the sort of sound Brahms would have heard in his day .
Only big Orchestra that played that way was the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Masur.
Till the DDR fell all the players and Masur were alums of the Leipzig
Conservatory and were taught to play in that 1850’s style off the original
scores annotated by their former conductor , Mendelssohn.
IMO both Brahms and especially Schumann sound better this way .
I never recommend Masur and the Gewandhaus knowing it is an acquired taste , but it is one I acquired hearing them live many times .
As rcprince said, very refreshing .
Only big Orchestra that played that way was the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Masur.
Till the DDR fell all the players and Masur were alums of the Leipzig
Conservatory and were taught to play in that 1850’s style off the original
scores annotated by their former conductor , Mendelssohn.
IMO both Brahms and especially Schumann sound better this way .
I never recommend Masur and the Gewandhaus knowing it is an acquired taste , but it is one I acquired hearing them live many times .
As rcprince said, very refreshing .