Ein Deutsches Requiem Op 45

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with Adrian Aeschbacher
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

2. Ein deutsches Requiem (German Requiem), for soprano, baritone, chorus & orchestra, Op. 45
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra with Kerstin Lindberg-Torlind, Berhnard Sonnerstedt
Conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler

Tracks:

A German Requiem Op.45: Selig sind, die da Leid tragen
A German Requiem Op.45: Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras
A German Requiem Op.45: Herr, lehre doch mich
A German Requiem Op.45: Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen
A German Requiem Op.45: Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit
A German Requiem Op.45: Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Stadt
A German Requiem Op.45: Selig sind die Toten

Amazon.com essential recording

This account of the German Requiem really is one of the great recordings of the century. Even today, Otto Klemperer's monumental interpretation with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus, recorded in 1961, remains unmatched among readings that emphasize the spirituality of the score. Sober and sustained, but not unduly slow, it places Brahms on the continuum of German sacred music going back through Beethoven to Handel, Bach, and Schütz. Drawing committed playing and singing from his forces, Klemperer opens the door to the beauties of the music without fuss or fanfare. Both soloists are exemplary: Schwarzkopf's expressive portamento now sounds a bit dated in style, but her singing is characterful, while Fischer-Dieskau is a paragon of restrained expressiveness. The singing of the Philharmonia Chorus is especially beautiful. EMI has done a superior job of remastering the original recording. Balances and tone quality are quite fine, and the spacious Kingsway Hall ambience conveys with lifelike immediacy. Compared with previous CD incarnations, there is new depth to the image and better resolution of detail--the weight of the organ can really be felt, as can the timpani strokes in "Denn alles fleisch es ist wie gras," and one finds greater presence and definition in the chorus and considerably more richness of tone in the orchestra. There is still some distortion in the climactic moments; for example, what sounds like tape saturation frizzes a couple of the big Beethovenian choral proclamations at the end of "Denn alles fleisch es ist wie gras." Such things are but a small blemish on what is an absolutely ravishing restoration of one of the most valuable recordings of the stereo era. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Real Brahms.......2007-06-24

He understand Brahms and the performances are superb. Buy this recording and you will be very happy.

Glorious Music.......2007-03-29

I purchased this CD for practicing the Requiem for a concert that will be performed this weekend. I am a soprano. It is wonderful for any of you who need to choose from other CDs of this piece for this purpose. For any who do not either play or sing, you will still be transported by the beautiful sound! While most requiems point to sorrow. This one by Brahms shows us the joy of life.

A "Regular People" Review.......2007-01-31

Brahms German Requiem is a great piece of music, this isn't nearly as intense as Verdi or Mozart's Requiems and not as tame at Faure's. It fits nicely in between. I can't say anything about the recording because this is the only one I've ever heard, but there are no complaints here. If you like semi dramatic choral music, (if you want super dramatic go for Verdi's Requiem!) give it a try....and keep me updated!

Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem.......2006-08-23

Brahms was a fabulous composer. I think his Requiem is a very musical piece including the beautiful voices.

I would recommend to anyone who loves good classical music.

Very good.......2006-08-03

First of all, it bothers me when people say Brahms "looks good on the page, but...". What does that mean, "looks good on the page"? Who are these people that own the scores to his music and are capable of instantaneously transposing several instruments in different clefs as well as different key signatures, know the timbres of each instrument at different volumes and marked styles of playing, and have the knowledge of harmony to know what these combinations of notes will sound like? Why aren't they conducting orchestras? Or do the notes somehow form the shape of a pretty little bird or something, and that's what they mean by the notes looking good on the page?
Anyway, the slower movements are great on this recording. 1st movement, 2nd, 4th, 7th. I would include the 5th, but something about Schwarzkopf's enunciation bothers me in this performance, although at times she hits a high note very subtly and perfectly. As for the more epic 3rd and 6th movements, they are impressive except for a few annoying problems. The fugue in the 3rd movement drag in the choral department, possibly because of the hall, and also sometimes I would like to hear the strings brought out a little more. The 6th movement is both wonderful and disappointing: the brass sounds amazing, and Klemperer really uses them to build tension with those high clustered dissonant notes. However, for some reason he builds up to these intense sections, and then cuts the tempo right as the sections begin. I can't think of any reason why he would have done this, but it sounds very strange and anti-climactic and it's a shame because otherwise it is amazing.
I would purchase this and Abbado's. I also have Karajan- ridiculously slow and lacking in emotion (strange, because I consider him to be the best interpreter of Brahms' symphonies), Walter- ludicrously fast, and Gardiner- pretty good. I would like to hear Shaw's but right now I'm torn between Abbado and this recording, neither of which are perfect. The woodwinds and brass are very much overpowered by the strings in Abbado's and, although it sounds great, you realize which sonorities are missing when you listen to this Klemperer recording.
As for the requiem itself, it really is beautiful. Brahms had an immense harmonic palette and he knew exactly how to use it, and that is very evident in this work. He was as harmonically audacious as Wagner, but he used his powers more prudently. The first movement is a perfect example of this: interesting resolutions, delayed resolutions, dissonant suspensions. Listen to the way the chorus and orchestra play off of one another, surprise each other, and then work together. This is what really makes music sound beautiful to me. And the texts Brahms chose to set to this piece are very touching.
One reviewer claims that Brahms didn't have a penchant for melodies. I don't see how he could be one of the most revered writers of lieder if this were the case. Maybe the reviewer's mother didn't sing him Brahms' lullaby when he was a baby, as the rest of ours did. His violin concerto adagio has been called the greatest melody ever written, the clarinet quintet is a favorite among chamber works, and he wrote 21 Hungarian dances that are immensely popular. Some movements in this piece are not meant to be sweepingly melodic; I would consider the first movement to be attractive mostly because of the harmony, which usually carries most of the emotion in music anyway. But the melodies of the 4th, 5th, and 7th movement are incredibly sweet and beautiful, and the 2nd movement's melodies are very memorable. For some reason people find it fashionable to call Brahms' music dry and academic, but these people must not be listening to the same music as the rest of us, or else they themselves are too academic and dry. This is lush, romantic music. Appropriately heavy and pensive at times, but those are the most powerful moments of the piece. It's about struggling with mortality, and comforting those who are left behind after a death. The full text that he chose for his 5th movement:
"And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
Ye see how for a little while I labor and toil, yet have I found much rest.
As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you. . ."
This isn't really a requiem, more of an existential dilemma set to music. So much more interesting and personal than "Kyrie Eleison," "Dona Eis Requiem," and "Pie Jesu Domine," I think. There are reasons why this work is so popular; that it is very beautiful and affecting, and that it touches a universal concern of all humanity are not the least of these reasons. I think people's perceptions of Brahms as being so academic and unemotional have been influenced by extreme political reviews by influential Wagnerites. George Bernard Shaw, for example, who attacked the requiem in particular, and thought that Brahms represented a musical regression. People seem to be unaware of how these reviews tainted Brahms' name, and also that Shaw later admitted that he was very wrong.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding
The heavens are telling
Uncle Abe rattles the house with this thing
Sir Robert with ASO and Chorus at their Best!
Celestial melodies

Choral Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Passions | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Gloria: Music of Praise & Inspiration
The Power & The Majesty: Essential Choral Classics
The #1 Choral Album
O Magnum Mysterium
Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony

ASIN: B000003CTR
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Hallelujah
Ave Verum Corpus K.618
Kyrie Eleison
Passion Chorale
The Shepherds' Farewell
Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
He Watching Over Israel
Dona Nobis Pacem
Hallelujah
Worthy Is The Lamb
Sanctus
Bogoroditse Devo
Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen
The Heavens Are Telling
Rex Tremendae

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2007-01-12

-gave this as a Christmas gift to my brother-in-law, a church musician. He has listened over & over & thinks it is really outstanding. Thank you!

The heavens are telling.......2005-10-21

This is a very great chorus, and one of Haydn's best as far as i am concerned. The pace, grandness and spirit of the piece all conjure in one's imagination the majesty of heaven, and God's throne. I cannot help but be moved to praise the God of the heavens and the earth.

kanmi ogundipe

Uncle Abe rattles the house with this thing.......2004-11-22

I came home from work one day when my uncle was visiting my wife and myself. He was recently retired from the ministry. He had heard a lot of choral music in his life. My aunt said he had the stereo ( power end of my stereo at the time was an Adcomm 555 amp. conservatively rated at 200 watts RMS per channel) up so loud it was rattling the whole house. I too have come to love this music. I mostly listen to rock and roll; but the way my uncle, and now I, play this thing, it is rock and roll from another era!!!

Sir Robert with ASO and Chorus at their Best!.......2003-11-16

After Mr Shaw spent many years in NYC and Cleveland with RCA Red Label,he came into Atlanta for a big change! Soon he switched to TELARC DIGITAL! I still Joyfully remember our Recording of the Christmas Nativity in Dec of 1975! Sir Robert, conducting with earphones encasing his head shouted: "Stop the taping, there is some Darn Sizzling noise in those Lights!" We may have not heard the word "Damn" lights, that he employed at times!

On both this newer release of TELARC and the older Recording of The Christmas Nativity, there are Bach's Chorale, Break Forth, Dona Nobis Pacem from the B-Minor Mass, Handel's Hallelujah! Plus the exquisite, Shepherds's Farewell to the Holy Family of Berlioz's The Infant Christ!

Those who may not be familiar with Berlioz from both recordings, will be richly rewarded by hearing them plus the Rex Tremendae from Berlioz''s Requiem and the other Kyrie from the Bach B-Minor! Absolutely, no other Christmas Music can ever approach these two splendid recordings, which are the basis of the ASO celebrating every Christmas with "Robert Shaw in the Spirit!"

Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

Celestial melodies.......2001-05-27

No matter what mood you are in, the gorgeous chorals will draft you through the paths of holiness, and you will find yourself situated in the Elysium, land of eternal joy, yet you are far from dead. The past grief, weariness, and worries will fade and torture your soul no more. You are set free.

Tracks:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw

Average customer rating:

Depth And Understanding Make It One Of The Best
A Great and memorable work!
Another Excellent Shaw Recording
A steadfast. well-prepared performance.
Very good

Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Johannes Brahms , Robert Shaw , Arleen Auger , Richard Stilwell , and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Verdi: Requiem & Operatic Choruses
Fauré · Duruflé - Requiem / J. Blegen · J. Morris · Atlanta SO · Shaw
Bach: Mass in B minor / McNair, Ziegler, Simpson, Aler, Stone, Paul; Shaw
Mendelssohn: Elijah / Shaw, Bonney, Quivar, Hadley, Hampson, Atlanta Symphony (Sung in English)
Choral Masterpieces

ASIN: B000003CT6
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Selig Sind, Die Da Leid Tragen
Denn Alles Fleisch
Herr, Lehre Doch Mich
Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen
Ihr Habt Nun Traurigkeit
Denn Wir Haben Hie
Selig Sind Die Toten

Amazon.com

Robert Shaw, despite being a fine choral conductor, was often a pretty boring interpreter--like most choral conductors, in fact. However, there were times that he really put everything together, particularly in his many fine recordings for Telarc, and this is one of the best. Of course, it helps that the music itself is largely pretty subdued, but Shaw directs a performance of exemplary clarity and genuine nobility of utterance. Gorgeous recorded sound too. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Depth And Understanding Make It One Of The Best.......2007-05-13

Do not be misled by the paucity of David Hurwitz's 4-sentence review for Amazon which is surpassed only by the wrong-headedness (Shaw, boring??) of his blatant prejudice against "choral conductors." His basis for evaluation is so off that he gets almost everything wrong, save for the words nobility and clarity. His praise of the recorded sound is also backwards; This is one of the biggest technical mistakes in Telarc's exemplary catalog - The orchestral sound is somewhat muddy and unfocused and the choir is far too distant and diffuse.

That is not to say the recording cannot be enjoyed for there are substantial positives here, principally Shaw's interpretation which is among the best in the world. His tempi are so insightful, so right-sounding its almost freaky. The only performance negative is soprano Arleen Auger; this lovely singer is just not right for the part; Brahms was very specific about the soprano sound he intended for the 5th movement - he specified she should sound "like a giant bird." Auger is a bit of a robin, albeit a very pretty one.

The expressiveness from both orchestra and choir are well-thought and refined. Shaw brings significant depth and understanding to this masterpiece. Too many orchestral conductors approach the Requiem as just another orchestra piece with voices; Shaw understands the impetus is Brahms' uniquely chosen text.

For example, Shaw's opening tempo is informed by Brahms' textual concept - a wandering, unsettled feeling of a soul having no resting place on this earth. An orchestral conductor who is guided only by the tempo marking will get it wrong.

Notice the collective orchestral breathing in the second movement. Coupled with the dead-on independent triplets from the timp, the unified lifting of the strings and the falling weight from the winds - this is ensemble perfection. It makes me weep.

Shaw keeps the third movement moving forward; he never allows it to sink into a lugubrious morass, a flaw in so many performances.

Its very difficult to render an overperformed movement perfectly, but again here in the famous fourth, Shaw's tempo and subtle emphasis are exemplary. One couldn't ask for a more lovely and perfectly controlled rendering of Brahms' chosen lovely dwelling place.

Shaw's sixth movement tempo reflects the wandering soul now with increased restlessness. This is exactly correct, unlike some conductors who render this movement as a deadly dirge. Shaw's tempo here perfectly sets up Brahms' positive ending.

From the initial sounds of the seventh movement, we know instantly that there is a new dawn - the tempo is bright, the dynamic lifted and the choir swells from a pianissimo entrance and takes stage. We have found our heaven.

Whatever flaws exist, this is a magnificent addition to the recorded repertoire, one in my collection to which I am proud to return often.

A Great and memorable work!.......2007-04-10

While a student at the New England Conservatory (a number of years ago) my husband and I were fortunate to be members of the N.E.C.Chorus that performed this very work under the direction of Robert Shaw himself. Needless to say, hearing it again, a master work done by a master, brings back many pleasant memories each and every time it's played.

Another Excellent Shaw Recording.......2006-04-10

It becomes hard after awhile for me to comment on maestro Shaw's work, because I love all of it! Obviously, he definitely does not fall short with this CD. His talent of conducting was matched only by his love of music itself.

The chorus and soloists are excellent. The sopranos seem to float over the rest of the chorus, and a sound of pure heaven is produced. I can just see both Shaw and Brahms smiling down from heaven as I write this!

As you can tell, I am very enthusiastic about classical choral music, especially when it is conducted by Mr. Shaw. And, to sum this up, check it out for yourself and see if you like it as much as I do.

A steadfast. well-prepared performance........2005-09-05

There are many recordings of the German Requiem of Brahms, and I have seven of them in my library. Robert Shaw's recording on Telarc is no longer one of them. Amazon states up front that this is the recording people "ultimately" buy. Maybe so, but I wouldn't click on "Buy Now" until I had heard samplings of some other recordings. Yes, Shaw and his musicians are amazing in their dedication to the work. It is a great performance. I have always found it necessary to boost the treble and perhaps reduce the bass to get a clear sound with this recording.

Other recordings I rank at a slightly higher level than this one and recommend with greater enthusiasm:

1. Herreweghe and the Orchestre des Champs Elysees on Harmonia Mundi. This recordng ranks among the finest and is unique in the clarity of voices, whether solo, choral, or orchestral. The woodwinds and brass are never covered by the strings, yet the string sections sound full and play with precision. The soloists are not over-miked and their voices seem to come from the midst of the greater ensemble. Especially impressive and touching is the singing of Gerald Finley (although his command of German has greatly improved since this recording).

2. James Levine and the Chicago Symphony and Chorus with Battle and Hagegard on RCA/BMG, a 1983 studio recording recently re-released on Universal at a low budget price. Levine and the Chicago deliver a big, heart-on-sleeve sound yet pay loving attention to details and the soloists sing exquisitely.

3. Rafael Kubelik with the Bavarian Radio Symphony and Chorus with Edith Mathis and Wolfgang Brendel on Audite. Recorded in concert (with no audience sounds) in 1978 and issued recently in glorious sound by Audite, this performance is generous in every way: fine musicianship, deep emotion, and rich sound.

4. Rudolph Kempe with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Choir of St. Hedwig's with Elizabeth Gruemmer and the young (therefore not yet fussy and mannered) Fischer-Dieskau. This is a very fine mono recording from 1956 still found on EMI. There are days when I think this is the best of the best in every respect. The playing and singing is exemplary in very way.

5. John Eliot Gardiner's interpretation, with his Orchestre Revolutionanaire et Romantique, the Monteverdi Choir, Charlotte Margiono, and Rodney Gilfry on Philips, is fleet and somewhat light-weight. It is a studio recording from 1990. Gardiner's tempi are the quickest by far yet never seem rushed. I've always liked this performance, but in light of those mentioned below it is relatively cerebral.

As for the other available versions, many are very fine indeed; yet I think none of them quite reaches the heights of the five I've listed above.

Very good.......2005-07-30

I have owned this recording since it's release and find it a wonderful piece. Robert Shaw has sought to convey a deeper understanding of Brahms thoughts and emotions brought to life in music. There are precious few conductors who take on this work because they know this work is more than a symphony, it requires the study and emersion of the conductor into the mind of Brahms and the trajedy that spawned this work. I am very grateful that Shaw took on the challenge and delivered an excellent interpretation.

With that said, I must say that although I do love this recording, there is one that I think is even better and is in my opinion the absolute best recording of this piece - Chicago Symphony, James Levine, Kathleen Battle, Hakan Hagegard.

For comparison -

Recording clarity - Hands down the Chicago recording is much clearer and much richer in the full spectrum of sounds from the crispness of the high woodwinds to the powerful bass of the bass viola's.

Interpretation - While Shaws recording is deliberate and steady, Levines is slower, more emotional and closer to the passion that Brahms intended to convey.

Choral - Without a doubt Kathleen Battle's voice in this piece is bordering on angelic. Nothing I have ever heard can compare to the perfection she displays in this piece. Hands down, she draws you totally into the work with a mesmorizing performance.

With technology progressing at such a fast pace, I eagerly await the arrival of a newer performance of this work, but am skeptical that anything can top what Levine has done.

Emery Rudolph

Brahms: A German Requiem (New English Adaptation)

Average customer rating:

Peaceful
typical
Can't not enjoy it
The best recording available today
Powerful Chorale Performance Brings Brahms' Masterwork to Life...in English!

Brahms: A German Requiem (New English Adaptation)

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

DEBUT ~ Nathan Gunn - "American Anthem" from Ragtime to Art Song / Kevin Murphy
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Barber: Prayers of Kierkegaard/Bartok: Cantata profanna/Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem
Mendelssohn: Elijah / Shaw, Bonney, Quivar, Hadley, Hampson, Atlanta Symphony (Sung in English)
Brahms: A German Requiem

ASIN: B000028TW5
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Tracks:

I. Blest Are They That Mourn
II. Behold, All Flesh Is As The Grass
III. Lord, Make Me To Know
IV. How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place
V. Ye Now Are Sorrowful
VI. Here On Earth Have We No Continuing Place
VII. Blessed Are The Dead

Amazon.com

The death of choral legend Robert Shaw in early 1999 came just before he was to have embarked on a much-anticipated recording: an adaptation into English of Brahms's deathless masterpiece Ein Deutsches Requiem. The present disc is based on Shaw's adaptation of the King James text to Brahms's score, which the conductor was in the process of fine-tuning before he died. Certainly it must have been a daunting task for conductor Craig Jessop to step into the shoes of his mentor (indeed, Shaw's own previous account of the original German-language version stands out as one of the high points in his vast recorded output), but he acquits himself admirably. This is a full-blooded performance, laying out a spacious canvas that is compelling in its grasp of structural sweep--this is after all Brahms's largest-scale work--and also lovingly attentive to local textural details: the rising harp chords in the final bars of "Blest are they that mourn" or the swelling chorus on "Death, O where is thy sting?" to cite just a couple. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is in glorious form, its special resonance captured with warm, present atmosphere here by Telarc's engineers. Janice Chandler sings seraphically--but not with distance--in the soprano's one movement, while Nathan Gunn's baritone solos emphasize vulnerability over darkness. Hearing the text in English only reinforces the universality and deep humanity of Brahms's message, his dual focus of resigned acceptance and comfort. The result is also a moving tribute to Shaw's legacy--and a testament to its abiding power. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Peaceful.......2007-01-12

I sang this while I was in college, in English, of course, so I wanted an English recording. It brought back many memories. The music fills me. It is haunting, but peaceful.

typical.......2006-07-20

This recording typifies recordings of masterworks by the mormon tabernacle choir and friends. It is, as usual, technically ok, and rather on the bland side. The diction, while sometimes clear, frequently features overprominent stress of consonants; a typical feature of amateur choirs. The soloists perform amicably with a strained sounding translation. The soprano sounds too adolescent at times for my taste. Mr. Gunn seems try too hard just to sound like a baritone to the sacrifice of a clearer upper register, although the tone in general is fairly pleasing.

Honestly, why base a translation on the KJ edition of the bible when Brahms went to all the trouble to avoid it in the first place? I do think an honest, but poetic, literal translation would much better serve the purpose. Anway, there are so many superior recordings of this work, and several in english as well, that I think it a waste to bother with this recording unless you have some personal connection to it, perhaps.

Can't not enjoy it.......2006-06-16

Yes, the chorus is loud, and the orchestra can be uneven (in the second movement, the trombones stick out incongruously in two measures during the great build-up to the repeat of the funeral march tune), but this is a such a great work one can't not enjoy it.

I am a little concerned about the English translation. It seems strange to say this, but Robert Shaw was not particularly qualified to work on it. As he admits in his notes, and this is quite remarkable, he never heard "A German Requiem" sung in English until 1996, just before he began work on this version. How could he not have heard the several fine English recordings of this work (including the good one done by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir itself in the 1960's)?

Brahms titled his work "A German Requiem" only because German was the language it happned to be sung in. He toyed with calling it, simply, "A Human Requiem", because he wanted it to be universally meaningful to all of mankind. (Notice how the verses he chose are not particularly Christian -- Jesus is never mentioned.) He picked Luther's translation into German (language not very different from what his listeners were using in 1865) because he wanted it to be immediately recognizable and meaningful.

Brahms's purpose is defeated by Shaw's dedication to the King James version, 400 years old, practically medieval English. I have sung this work in English several times, each time with a more modern translation. Fortunately I know the words of that translation so well that I substitute it in my mind whenever the chorus lapses into medieval-speak. At such times any fuzziness of diction is actually welcome.

The best recording available today.......2006-04-15

I sang in a performance of this work and as a result, became pleasantly obsessed with it, which led to listening to many recordings. This one is the best. Don't be put off by its not being in German; Brahms' motive in writing it in German in the first place was to make it accessible, and if you're an English speaker the English version will be more accessible to you. I know of no other work in which the music so perfectly and beautifully expresses the Biblical passages that are lyricized -- and I'm not even a Christian!
A shortcoming of many recordings of this work is for the soprano solo in the fifth movement to wax too dramatic and operatic. Listen to a few samples on line; you'll see what I mean. The movement expresses the purest, simplest feelings of grief and sympathy imaginable; it does not need dramatization. This recording gets it just right.

Powerful Chorale Performance Brings Brahms' Masterwork to Life...in English!.......2005-08-03

The world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir is 325 members strong, and the wall of sound from such a vocal force of nature is bound to be overwhelming. On this recording, they often overpower the Utah Symphony, but the combined effect is still quite moving with the sincere sense of emotional commitment from all concerned, and the singing is impressive. The piece performed here, Brahms' longest single work, is a deeply religious, offering solace to the bereaved with texts from the Bible and concurrently a painting a series of dramatic pictures with particular emphasis on messages such as man's insignificance before God and subsequent redemption by faith. Yet it transcends its spiritual elements to become a more universally humanist, secular work.

Musical director Robert Shaw translated the Brahms Requiem from the original German but sadly died less than three weeks before this 1999 CD was to be recorded. The associate director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the time, Craig Jessop, took Shaw's place for the recording and remained true to his predecessor's vision. The singing is strong, clear and well balanced among sections and between chorus and soloists considering the acoustic challenges of the Mormon Tabernacle's huge, unusual size and shape. Baritone Nathan Gunn does his usual stellar work on "Lord, make me to know" and "Here on Earth have we no continuing place", while soprano Janice Chandler shines on "Ye now are sorrowful". As the titles of the movements signify, the only compromise in the recording is the sometimes too literal translation of the text making for some awkward phrasing probably because Jessop was intent to stay true to Shaw's adaptation. At the same time, because the choir is so disciplined and synchronized, Brahms' writing does not ensure clear understanding of the words no matter what language is sung. Nonetheless, this is a fine German Requiem and well worth a serious listen.

Average customer rating:

High Victorian religiosity that benefits from a good dusting off
A gorgeous recording of one of the great works of musical art
a very good recording
An effective but fleet and lighter weight performance.
Still one of the best German Requiem Recordings

Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem Op.45

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Verdi - Requiem · Quattro pezzi sacri / Orgonasova · von Otter · Canonici . A. Miles · Gardiner
Johannes Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45/Alt-Rhapsodie, Op. 53
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Bach - Mass in B minor / Argenta, Nichols, Chance, Stafford, Milner, W. Evans, Gardiner
Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem [A German Requiem]

ASIN: B00000413E
Release Date: 1991-05-10

Tracks:

Ein Deutsches Requiem: Selig Sind, Die Da Leid Tragen
Ein Deutsches Requiem: Denn Alles Fleisch Es Ist Wie Gras
Ein Deutsches Requiem: Herr, Lehre Doch Mich
Ein Deutsches Requiem: Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen
Ein Deutsches Requiem: Ihr Habt Nun Traurigkeit
Ein Deutsches Requiem: Denn Wir Haben Hie Keine Bleibende Statt
Ein Deutsches Requiem: Selig Sind Die Toten, Die In Dem Herrn Sterben

Amazon.com

Musical settings of the Requiem understandably encompass a vast expressive gamut, from Mozart's fear and trembling to the seraphic gentleness of Fauré. But the focus in Brahms's German Requiem--his first large-scale work--is not so much on the departed as on those left behind and the work of memory. In lieu of the traditional Latin liturgy, Brahms uses texts culled from the Lutheran Bible that range from despair at our mortal condition to the solace offered by faith. John Elliott Gardiner and his forces here attempt to replicate the orchestral sound and style of Brahms's own time, using period bowing practices for the strings and mellow Viennese horns, to cite a few examples. The result is a magnificent and deeply moving performance that features excellent integration of the orchestra and chorus. Gardiner molds a huge crescendo of imposing terror in the funereal march of the second movement but always keeps the textures clear and balanced. He manages to convey both the symphonic scope of this work and its polyphonic imagination--Brahms looked back to Baroque as well as Renaissance sources and in the process created a rich and potent new style. Charlotte Margiono's rosy soprano is angelic but at the same time tinged with a sense of longing for what has been lost--which makes the musical consolation offered by the end of the seventh movement all the more profound. Baritone Rodney Gilfry brings warmth and passionate phrasing to his solos. And presiding over everything is Gardiner's masterful sense of the work's larger structure: the path traced by Brahms is revealed with great dignity but is free of sentimentality. This recording belongs in any basic collection. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

High Victorian religiosity that benefits from a good dusting off.......2006-08-25

There's no doubt, as the ecstatic reviewers state, that this is a fine reading of the Deutches Requiem and one of Gardiner's most successful forays outside the Baroque. I'm not sure I buy the scholarly claims for period Brahms--personally I'd much rather hear the violinis play with expressive vibrato. But the rest is admirable: a small chorus that sings with the conviction of a single voice, a small orchestra with clearer textures, and mostly fast tempos that never drag.

As a hallmark of High Victorian religiosity, Brahms's early masterpiece could use a good dusting off. Gardiner provides that. His soloists are quite appealing, especially the fervent, dramatically involved Rodney Gilfry (if only his German didn't sound as if he learned it syllabically). Charlotte Margione can't float her voice with the ease and sweetness of Kathleen Battle (for Levine) or the intensity of Schwarzkopf (for Klemperer), but she's in tune and sings very well. Philips' sonics, at least on my system, sound metallic and shrill at high volume, a problem I find with many early Gardiner recordings.

In all, a good outing for the period camp in an unlikely work. Gardiner deserves the wide praise he won for this CD.

A gorgeous recording of one of the great works of musical art .......2006-08-20

This great work was written and first performed in part during 1865 and completed with a performance in Bremen in 1868 that was conducted by Brahms when he was just 35. As with so many of Brahms' great works, there was a mixed reaction from the various critical factions. Some found the work to pious for a concert hall, some found the Laendler in the second movement a clear disaster, others found the work too dark and without sensuality. Some conceded that students and connoisseurs could love the work, but it would never inspire an audience. Yet, audiences around the world have been enthusiastic supporters of this for nearly a century and a half.

As I listen to this fabulous recording, I am moved to the point of incapacity. The text is put together from the Bible (Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha) from the Lutheran Bible. Some in English have wondered what is especially German about the work. Well, it is important to understand the importance of Luther's translation of the Bible to the German culture and its literature. To Germans, Luther's words are almost an urtext rather than a translation. To have a religious work that is in the most native tongue of all Germans, regardless of dialect, is a work as Brahms wished, for all Germans. It isn't a translation of a Latin text nor something authorized by some outside authority. Even though the words of the scriptures that we read in translation are so familiar to those of us who read the Bible, the German text means something that much more fundamental to Germans, at least in previous times when the Lutheran Bible was the bedrock of their culture.

Gardiner and his scholars have tried to assemble a Brahms orchestra with instruments Brahms would have had available to him including special kinds of wind instruments and even hard mallets for the tympani. They worked on getting the string phrasing just so and consulted performing scores and as much material from the late 19th century as possible. To me, this recording just sounds gorgeous. There isn't anything odd or mannered or "less" in any way. There is great sound in the softest passages and massive power in the loud sections without ever becoming muddy or strained. There are times and passages where one can hear where Mahler learned some things and was affected in his own writing for orchestra and voices.

For me, this work is doubly sacred. Not only are words sacred from the scriptures, but the music is also some of the finest Brahms ever wrote and that, by definition in my book, means it is among the finest music every written by the human race. This recording adds a third level of specialness to it by being of such high quality and beauty.

Strongly and urgently recommended to everyone even if you are just someone who wants to learn why "classical" music is so special. This is a work that can blow you away if you will just listen to it and open your mind and heart to what is being given to you.

a very good recording.......2005-10-10

I haven't heard every available version of this as some of my fellow reviewers have done. I have heard this version however and it is quite good. Both the orchestra and choir are clearly heard and perform at a high level. The soloists are also top notch. Highly recommended.

An effective but fleet and lighter weight performance........2005-09-05

There are many recordings of the German Requiem of Brahms, and I have seven of them in my library. John Eliot Gardiner's interpretation, with his Orchestre Revolutionanaire et Romantique, the Monteverdi Choir, Charlotte Margiono, and Rodney Gilfry on Philips, is fleet and somewhat light-weight. It is a studio recording from 1990. Gardiner's tempi are the quickest by far yet never seem rushed. I've always liked this performance, but in light of those mentioned below it is relatively cerebral.

Other recordings I rank at a slightly higher level than this one and recommend with greater enthusiasm:

1. Herreweghe and the Orchestre des Champs Elysees on Harmonia Mundi. This recordng ranks among the finest and is unique in the clarity of voices, whether solo, choral, or orchestral. The woodwinds and brass are never covered by the strings, yet the string sections sound full and play with precision. The soloists are not over-miked and their voices seem to come from the midst of the greater ensemble. Especially impressive and touching is the singing of Gerald Finley (although his command of German has greatly improved since this recording).

2. James Levine and the Chicago Symphony and Chorus with Battle and Hagegard on RCA/BMG, a 1983 studio recording recently re-released on Universal at a low budget price. Levine and the Chicago deliver a big, heart-on-sleeve sound yet pay loving attention to details and the soloists sing exquisitely.

3. Rafael Kubelik with the Bavarian Radio Symphony and Chorus with Edith Mathis and Wolfgang Brendel on Audite. Recorded in concert (with no audience sounds) in 1978 and issued recently in glorious sound by Audite, this performance is generous in every way: fine musicianship, deep emotion, and rich sound.

4. Rudolph Kempe with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Choir of St. Hedwig's with Elizabeth Gruemmer and the young (therefore not yet fussy and mannered) Fischer-Dieskau. This is a very fine mono recording from 1956 still found on EMI. There are days when I think this is the best of the best in every respect. The playing and singing is exemplary in very way.

5. Okay, now what happened to the Robert Shaw recording on Telarc? I've left it to last because Amazon states up front that this is the recording people "ultimately" buy. Maybe so, but I wouldn't click on "Buy Now" until I had heard samplings of these other recordings. Yes, Shaw and his musicians are amazing in their dedication to the work. It is a great performance. I have always found it necessary to boost the treble and perhaps reduce the bass to get a clear sound with this recording.

As for the other available versions, many are very fine indeed; yet I think none of them quite reaches the heights of the five I've listed above.

Still one of the best German Requiem Recordings.......2004-04-03

To correct "A Music Fan" s' review I think he (she) was talking

about the recording with Karajan and the VPO with Hotter and

Schwartzkopf and Chorus this recording is available on Classic

D' Oro #1004. As for the Gardiner Recording of the Requiem it is

one of Gardiner's finest efforts. The soloists aquit themselves

quite well and the ORR and the Montiverdi Choir prove once again

that they can perform anything well. I am hoping that Gardiner

Tracks:

Hallelujah - Ambrosian Singers
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth - Ambrosian Singers
Pie Jesu - Victoria De Los Angeles
In Excelsis Deo - Teresa Berganza
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude - Choir Of King's College Cambridge
Ave Maria - Philip Ledger
Zadok The Priest - Coronation Anthem - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Wie Lieblich Sing Deine Wohnungen - Phiharmonia Chorus
Sanctus Fortis - Richard Lewis
Agnus Dei - Dame Janet Baker
Cujus Animam Gementem - Robert Gambill
Lacrimosa - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Ave Maria - Gerald Moore
Ingemisco - Confutatis - Dies Irae - New Philharmonia Chorus

Tracks:

Panis Angelicus - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Herrscher Des Himmels, Erhore Das Lallen - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Ouverture - L'Adieu Des Bergers - Choeurs Rene Duclos
Libera Me Domine - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Ave Verum Corpus, K618 - Swedish Radio Chorus
Die HImmel Erzahlen Die Ehre Gottes - Jose Van Dam
Komm, Holder Lenz! - Chor Der Deutschen Oper Berlin
Lord God Of Abraham - New Philharmonia Chorus
And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth - New Philharmonia Chorus
Miserere Mei, Deus - Stephen Cleobury
Erbarme Dich, Sein Gott - Julia Hamari
O Haupt Voll Blut Und Wundern - Julia Hamari
Ich Folge Dir Gleichfalls - Lisa Otto
Ach Herr, Lass Dein Lieb' Engelein - Lisa Otto

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful and varied compilation of Sacred Choral Works.......2001-08-13

This is a 2 CD set and is one of my favorites. While this CD contains several pieces that the general public probably hears often (Handel's Messiah, Bach's Jesu Bleibet mein freund) it also contains some not well known pieces. Of particular quality is the recording of Gregorio Allegri's MISERE MEI DEUS, a piece composed at the end of the Renaissance era. This piece, lasting roughly 13 minutes, is a master stroke of pure choral music. The piece is repetitive but Allegri builds up to a fantastic ending. Also of note is the glorious recording of Mozart's AVE VERUM CORPUS, Hadyn's DIE SCHOPFUNG, and Brahm's EIN DEUTCHES REQUIEM. A MUST for any choral music fan.

Johannes Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45/Alt-Rhapsodie, Op. 53

Average customer rating:

A German Requiem of terror and tenderness
A Last Memento of a Brilliant Conductor
Overall a very satisfying recording
One of Walter's Finest
Great singing!!!!!!

Johannes Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45/Alt-Rhapsodie, Op. 53

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Haydn Variations; Academic Festival Overture
Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Tragic Overture; Schicksalslied
Mahler: Symphonies No. 1 & No. 2; Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Dvorák: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9

ASIN: B000002A7X
Release Date: 1995-05-16

Tracks:

Ein deutsche Requiem op.45: I. 'Selig sind, die da Leid tragen'
Ein deutsche Requiem op.45: II. 'Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras'
Ein deutsche Requiem op.45: III. 'Herr, lehre doch mich'
Ein deutsche Requiem op.45: IV. 'Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen'
Ein deutsche Requiem op.45: V. 'Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit'
Ein deutsche Requiem op.45: VI. 'Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt'
Ein deutsche Requiem op.45: VII. 'Selig sind die Toten'
Alt-Rhapsodie op.53: Alto Rhapsody

Customer Reviews:

A German Requiem of terror and tenderness.......2006-03-16

Bruno Walter went for drama rather than reverence in this 1954 recording of the German Requiem with the NY Phil. As others have noted, he takes vigorous tempos--the overall timing of 62 min. compares with 69 min. for Klemperer and Shaw, 75 min. for Karajan's EMI account from the Seventies. George London is fervent and at times terrifying in his solo singing, rendering the suffering and hope of a sinner in the face of death. At the other extreme, Walter's characteristic tenderness also comes through in the hushed choral singing of the first two movements. One can't expect a dated mono recording to capture the full sound of orchestra and chorus realistically, but this is such a hair-raising experience that it hardly matters.

The filler is an Alto Rhapsody in stereo from 1961, which Walter saves from its usual lugubrious fate. In fact, this is some of his most impassioned conducting in old age, and although neither Mildred Miller nor the Occidental College choir behind her are first-rate, Miller sings with intensity, in keeping iwth Walter's conception. Five stars to both performances.

A Last Memento of a Brilliant Conductor.......2004-12-11

Bruno Walter was not only one of the very finest conductors of both symphony and opera in the 20th Century, he was an unassuming poet whose every thought and gesture was about the composers' intentions. On the podium he was revered by orchestras and singers and choruses and always demanded (and got) as close to perfection as the moment allowed.

This recording of the Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem is holy and the contributions by the chorus and the soloists are understated in the way that Walter achieved his most profound effect.

It is in the accompanying "Alto Rhapsody" for Mezzo Soprano, men's chorus, and orchestra that the essence of this great man can be most securely felt. In the early 1960s, knowing that Bruno Walter would not live much longer, John McClure of Columbia Records assembled the 'Columbia Symphony Orchestra' - musicians drawn form the finest of the studio musicians in Los Angeles - and set up a recording site in the American Legion Hall next to the Hollywood Bowl where he facilitated such recordings as this Alto Rhapsody, Brahms 'Schicksalslied', Wagner, Mahler, and others. Bruno Walter himself auditioned choruses for these recordings and elected to engage the Occidental College Concert Choir as trained by Howard Swan to sing the choral elements. For the Mezzo he chose the underrated Mildred Miller. The result is as perfect a concept of the Alto Rhapsody ever recorded. Originally this work was released with Brahms' "Schicksalslied" and Mahler's "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen". Would that that old CD be available still.

The experience of making music with the mighty but gentle Bruno Walter is an unforgettable experience for performers and audiences. Warm memories of being in the chorus for the Alto Rhapsody will always be among the most treasured in my musical experiences. This is a recording for the ages. Grady Harp, December 2004

Overall a very satisfying recording.......2003-02-19

Singing in a performance of the Requiem left me irritated with the slow tempos of the Klemperer recording, which was the one I owned until I bought this one. Walter's tempos lend themselves better to Brahms' rhythmic genius. The recording is not without drawbacks, however: the tone quality of the singers is a little too dark for my taste, particularly the basses. Another gripe is that Denn Alles Fleisch is articulated almost stacatto, which detracts from the passion of the movement. Finally, the soprano solo is a little too fast, the only movement where the quicker tempo doesn't quite work.
Other than these negatives, the recording is musically satisfying, with a generally good balance between orchestra and choir. I recommend it over the Klemperer and Shaw recordings for those who are sensitive to dragging tempos.

One of Walter's Finest.......2002-03-15

I bought this disc out of a sense of frustration with modern performances that left me wondering as I listened, "Is it almost over yet?". Even John Eliot Gardiner's celebrated 'excavation' of the piece didn't remove that feeling. At least this version was short! (about 60 min.) I'm really happy I made the switch. The sound is mono, so it may be disappointing to some listeners, but the quality of the performance is so warm, passionate and well thought out and felt, so utterly cohesive, that I don't think anyone could be disappointed with the performance. The "Alto Rhapsody" was recorded later in stereo, (with a higher volume level) and is wonderful all around.

Great singing!!!!!!.......2002-01-06

No one sings like the Westminster Choir under John Finely Willamson any more. The dark, rich sound they produce is not heard any more. George London is one of the best bass-baritones ever. This recording is the best!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

No. 1 Wedding Album

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music