BaL 3.06.23 - Brahms: A German Requiem

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30am
Ein deutsches Requiem, Brahms’s largest-scale choral work, is also his most-recorded. Fellow composer John Rutter guides us through a huge range of different approaches before settling on the ultimate recording to buy, download or stream.

Available versions:-

Coro Da Camera Ricercare Ensemble, Romano Adami

Andreas Schmidt, Cheryl Studer, Gustav Sjökvist, Berliner Philharmoniker, Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Claudio Abbado *

Barbara Bonney, Bryn Terfel, Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Claudio Abbado (DVD)

Inger Dam-Jensen, Bo Skovhus, Danish National Choir & Symphony Orchestra, Gerd Albrecht

Anna Lucia Richter, Stephan Genz, Leipzig MDR Radio Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, Marin Alsop

Ernest Ansermet

Claire Seaton, Colin Campbell, Jeremy Filsell, Roderick Chadwick, Vasari Singers, Jeremy Backhouse

Janet Williams, Thomas Hampson, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Daniel Barenboim *

Christiane Karg, Thomas E. Bauer, Schleswig-Holstein Festival Chor Lübeck & Kammerorchesterbasel, Rolf Beck

Juliane Banse, Stephan Genz, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Windsbacher Knabenchor, Karl-Friedrich Beringer

Julia Borchert, Michael Volle, Stuttgart Chamber Choir & Stuttgart Classical Philharmonic Orchestra, Frieder Bernius *

Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz, Wolfgang Holzmair, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, San Francisco Symphony, Herbert Blomstedt

Heidi Meier, Josef Wagner, Maulbronn Chamber Choir, Musica Sacra, Jurgen Budday *

Agnes Giebel, Hermann Prey, Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Milano della RAI, Sergiu Celibidache *

Agnes Giebel, Hans Hotter, Cologne Radio Orchestra, Sergiu Celibidache *

Randall Scarlata, Susanna Phillips, Choral Art Society, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Ignat Solzhenitsynr, Sergiu Celibidache

Julie Cooper, Eamonn Dougan, Gary Cooper, Christopher Glynn, The Sixteen, Harry Christophers

José Gallardo & Evngenia Rubinova, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury *

Britt-Marie Aruhn, Robert Holl, Radiokoret, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Michael Corboz *

Fionnuala McCarthy, Michael Volle, EuropaChorAkademie, Joshard Daus *

Sandrine Piau, Stéphane Degout, Brigitte Engerer, Boris Berezovsky, Accentus Chamber Choir, Laurence Equilbey *

Istvan Gati, Ilona Tokody, Slovak Philharmonic Chorus, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Janos Ferencsik *

Mary Bevan, Marcus Farnsworth, James Baillieu, Richard Uttley , Choir of King’s College London, Joseph Fort

Nicole Car, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Johannes Fritzsch

Bernhard Sonnerstedt, Kirstin Lindberg Torlind, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Stockholm Philharmonic Chorus, Wilhelm Furtwängler

Irmgard Seefried, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Wiener Singakademie, Wiener Symphoniker, Wilhelm Furtwängler *

Charlotte Margion, Rodney Gilfry, Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Sir John Eliot Gardiner

Katharine Fuge, Matthew Brook, Monteverdi Choir & Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Sir John Eliot Gardiner

Sally Matthews, Christopher Maltman, London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Valery Gergiev (SACD)

Solveig Kringelborn, Mariusz Kwiecien, Swedish Radio Choir & Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (DVD)

Barbara Bonney, Andreas Schmidt, Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Carlo Maria Giulini

Malin Hartelius, Dietrich Henschel, Czech Philharmonic, Enoch zu Guttenberg

Gundula Janowitz, Tom Krause, Wiener Philharmoniker, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Bernard Haitink

Marlis Peterson, Konrad Jarnot, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Philip Mayers, Philip Moll, Simon Halsey (SACD)

Christiane Karg, Matthias Goerne, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Harding *

Genia Kühmeier, Thomas Hampson, Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Johanna Winkel, Kre�imir Strafianac, Chorwerk Ruhr, Florian Helgath

Christiane Oelze, Gerald Finley , La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale Gent, Orchestre des Champs Élysées, Philippe Herreweghe

Ilse Eerens, Andrew Foster-Williams, Orchestre Des Champs-Elysees & Collegium Vocale Gent, Philippe Herreweghe (DVD)

David Wilson-Johnson, Felicity Lott, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox

Elena Copons, Adrian Eröd, Johanna Gröbner & Veronika Trisko, Chorus sine nomine, Johannes Hiemetsberger

Chamber ensemble orchestration by Iain Farrington, Yale Schola Cantorum, David Hill

Natascha Jung, Peter Schöne, Chöre am Fuldaer Dom, Meininger Hofkapelle, Franz-Peter Huber

Simone Nold, Kay Stiefermann, WDR Rundfunkchor Köln, Rupert Huber

Camilla Tilling, Detlef Roth, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Marek Janowski *

Genia Kühmeier, Gerald Finley, Netherlands Radio Choir & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons (SACD)

Natalie Dessay, Ludovic Tézier, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra & Swedish Radio Choir, Paavo Järvi *

Valentina Farca, Matthias Goerne, State Choir Latvija, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Paavo Järvi (DVD/Blu-Ray)

Erich Wenk, Agnes Giebel, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Danish Radio Choir, Thomas Jensen

Janice Chandler, Nathan Gunn, Utah Symphony Orchestra, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Craig Jessop

Dietrich Henschel, , Miah Persson, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski

Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Hans Hotter, Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan

Barbara Hendricks, José van Dam, Wiener Singverein & Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Lisa della Casa, Wiener Singverein, Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

Gundula Janowitz, Eberhard Wächter, Wiener Singverein & Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

Siegfried Lorenz, MariAnne Häggander, Leipzig Radio Choir, MDR Sinfonieorchester, Herbert Kegel

Elisabeth Grümmer, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Choir of St Hedwig’s Cathedral, Berlin & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Rudolf Kempe

Nadezhda Krasnaya, Sergei Yakovenko, Yurlov State Academic Chorus & Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitri Kitayenko

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Philharmonia Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer

Hans Wilbrink, Elfriede Trötschel. BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Otto Klemperer

Elisabeth Grümmer, Hermann Prey, Kölner Rundfunkchor & Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, Otto Klemperer

Wilma Lipp, Eberhard Wachter, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Otto Klemperer

Maria Stader, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Choeur de la RTF & Orchestre National de Paris, Paul Kletzki

Edith Mathis (Soprano), Wolfgang Brendel, Bavarian Radio Chorus, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik

Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Günther Leib, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Helmut Koch *

Sibylla Rubens, Daniel Ochoa, Dresdner Kreuzchor, Vocal Concert Dresden & Dresdner Philharmonie, Roderich Kreile


Continued on post no. 2

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

(continued)


Otto Wiener, Maria Stader, Berliner Philharmoniker, Chor der St. Hedwig’s-Kathedrale, Berlin, Berliner Motettenchor, Fritz Lehmann

Christine Schäfer, Michael Volle, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Boston Symphony Orchestra, James Levine *

Hakan Hagegard, Kathleen Battle, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, James Levine *

Michelle Areyzaga, Hugh Russell, Madeline Slettedahl, Craig Terry, Bella Voce, Andrew Lewis

Hermann Prey, Ileana Cotrubas, New Philharmonia Chorus, Lorin Maazel *

Cluj-Napoca State Philharmonic Choir, George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, Bucharest
Cristian Mandeal *

Håkan Hagegård, Sylvia McNair, New York Philharmonic, Westminster Symphonic Choir, Kurt Masur

Donald Gramm, Hilde Gueden, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Charles Munch

Elizabeth Watts, Stéphane Degout, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Lore Binon, Tassis Christoyannis, Flemish Radio Choir, Hervé Niquet

Lynne Dawson, Olaf Bär, London Classical Players, Schütz Choir of London, Sir Roger Norrington

Florian Boesch, Christina Landshamer, SWR Vokalensemble, NDR Chor, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Sir Roger Norrington

Matthias Winckhler, Christina Gansch, Bachchor Mainz, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, Ralf Otto

Samuel Ramey , Margaret Price, Ambrosian Singers, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn

Harolyn Blackwell, David Wilson-Johnson, London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, André Previn *

Paul Max Tipton, Teresa Wakim, Justin Blackwell, Scott Allen Jarrett.,Seraphic Fire, Professional Choral Institute, Patrick Dupre Quigley

Tatyana Galtskaya, Ed Bara, Ama Deus Ensemble, Valentin Radu *

Miriam Gauci, Eduard Tumagian, Slovak Philharmonic Chorus, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Rahbari

Agnes Giebel & Gerhard Niese, Gewandhaus Orchestra & Thomanerchor, Gunther Ramin *

Dorothea Röschmann, Thomas Quasthoff, Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Sir Simon Rattle

Carolyn Sampson, André Morsch, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Cappella Amsterdam, Daniel Reuss

Donna Brown, Gilles Cachemaille, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart, Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling

Margaret Price, Thomas Allen, Chor und Orchestra des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Wolfgang Sawallisch

Wilma Lipp, Franz Crass, Wiener Symphoniker, Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Wolfgang Sawallisch

Denny Wilke, Tobias Berndt, Ukrainischer Nationalchor DUMKA, Jana Reiner, Merseburger Hofmusik, Michael Schönheit

Heinz Rehfuss, Elfriede Trötschel, Orchestre National de France, Carl Schuricht

Maria Stader, Hermann Prey, Stuttgart Vokalensemble, Frankfurt Choir, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, Carl Schuricht

Richard Stilwell, Arleen Auger, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Robert Shaw

Brian Ming Chu, , Ida Nicolosi, Jan Kraybill, Elisa Williams Bickers,Te Deum, Matthew Christopher Shepard

Wolfgang Brendel, Lucia Popp, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli

Bernd Weikl, Kiri Te Kanawa, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Sir Georg Solti

Randall Scarlata, Susanna Phillips, Choral Art Society, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Ignat Solzhenitsyn *

Andreas Schmidt, Andreas Grau, Gotz Schumacher, Soile Isokoski, Chorus Musicus Koln, Christoph Spering *

Twyla Robinson, Mariusz Kwiecien, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Robert Spano (SACD)

Tom Krause, Gundula Janowitz, Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, George Szell *

Jivko Trenchev, Sonia Marinova, Bulgarian Chapel Choir, Emil Tabakov *

Christine Schäfer, Christian Gerhaher, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Christian Thielemann (DVD/Blu-ray)

Viviane Della Chiesa, Herbert Janssen, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini

Renate Arends, Thomas Oliemans, The Hague Philharmonic & Rotterdam Symphony Chorus, Jan Willem de Vriend (SACD)

Irmgard Seefried, George London, New York Philharmonic, Westminster Choir, Bruno Walter

Rosanna Carteri, Boris Christoff, Coro de Roma della RAI, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI di Roma, Bruno Walter

Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Simon Keenlyside, Wiener Singverein, The Cleveland Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst (DVD/Blu-ray)

Christiane Libor, Thomas E. Bauer, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Choir, Antoni Wit

(* = download only)

[Lordgeous]

Have always loved the Kempe.

[richardfinegold]

I love the work but for me the attraction would be John Rutter’s views

[Petrushka]

For a work that only rarely gets hauled off the shelves I've certainly got a lot of versions!

Karajan (x4), Klemperer (x2), Abbado, Solti, Haitink, Kempe, Walter and Previn.

Truth to tell, I find it just a touch overlong and unvarying in mood and texture so have to feel the time is right for it. Also have to register surprise at the number of recordings it's had.

[Pulcinella]

Three rather different versions/interpretations here, all highly recommended in the 2009 Penguin Guide (not their top recommendation though; that was BPO/Rattle):

ORR/Gardiner
Philharmonia/Klemperer
RPO/Previn

[Barbirollians]

Three rather different versions/interpretations here, all highly recommended in the 2009 Penguin Guide (not their top recommendation though; that was BPO/Rattle):

ORR/Gardiner
Philharmonia/Klemperer
RPO/Previn

I think I recall Richard Osborne doing this in the 1980s and coming down firmly in favour of Klemperer. With good reason I think.

[Pulcinella]

The main Wiki article

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_German_Requiem_(Brahms)

contains sections on the instrumentation,

Instrumentation
In addition to soprano and baritone soloists and mixed chorus, A German Requiem is scored for:

woodwind: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons and contrabassoon (ad libitum)
brass: 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba
percussion: timpani
strings and harp (one part, preferably doubled)
organ (ad libitum)

versions and arrangements (I wonder if BBM would have enjoyed the concert band first movement!),

Versions and arrangements
In 1866 Brahms made an arrangement for piano solo of the six-movement version of the Requiem, which he revealed to Clara Schumann at Christmas of that year.[9]

Brahms prepared an alternative version of the full seven-movement work to be performed with piano duet accompaniment, making it an acceptable substitute accompaniment for choir and soloists in circumstances where a full orchestra is unavailable. The vocal parts can also be omitted, suggesting that it was also intended as a self-contained version probably for at-home use. The alternative version was used, sung in English, for the first complete British performance of the Requiem on 10 July 1871 at 35 Wimpole Street, London, the home of Sir Henry Thompson and his wife, the pianist Kate Loder (Lady Thompson). The pianists were Kate Loder and Cipriani Potter.[10] This piano-duet accompaniment version of the Requiem has become known as the "London Version" (German: Londoner Fassung).[11]

An arrangement of the first movement for concert band by Barbara Buehlman, under the title "Blessed Are They", has been a standard part of that ensemble's literature for many years.

and a link to a discography, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Germ...em_discography

[Alison]

It had never occurred to me that Mr Rutter might listen to the music of other composers, still less that he would indulge in library building shenanigans

[Alison]

For a work that only rarely gets hauled off the shelves I've certainly got a lot of versions!

Karajan (x4), Klemperer (x2), Abbado, Solti, Haitink, Kempe, Walter and Previn.

Truth to tell, I find it just a touch overlong and unvarying in mood and texture so have to feel the time is right for it. Also have to register surprise at the number of recordings it's had.

Thought you’d have Tennstedt, Pet.

[smittims]

Like Petrushka, I surprised myself by finding how many recordings I have of a work I listen to very rarely. I do, however, think it a very special work and I can understand why it has a very special significance for German listeners.

[Petrushka]

Thought you’d have Tennstedt, Pet.

Unfortunately, I never did get it and when I checked it out on Amazon a couple of years or so ago it was a stupid price so didn't bother. Just looked again and it's an even more stupid price https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Eine...s%2C85&sr=8-26

Seriously,who pays that kind of money for one CD?

[Bryn]

Thought you’d have Tennstedt, Pet.

The lack of even lawful lossless downloads of either of the Tennstedt recordings (EMI/Warner and BBC Legends) seems bizarre. However, the EMI recording is available, new, in the 14 CD boxed set, "Klaus Tennstedt: The Great EMI Recordings" from amazon.co.uk ( ASIN: B004OUFSOA ) for around £35. That's how I got it, though for £11.99, in 2011. It is also available, used, for under £20, elsewhere on the Internet, https://www.google.com/search?client...EMI+Recordings.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have only a single version of the work - VPO/Giulini, but as far as I recall, I haven’t listened to it once since its last BaL appearance in 2012. I first got to know the work in my student days, prompted by a fellow music student humming an excerpt, which I mistook for an extract from Elgar’s The Kingdom. I suspect the latter composer unconsciously stole it.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Unfortunately, I never did get it and when I checked it out on Amazon a couple of years or so ago it was a stupid price so didn't bother. Just looked again and it's an even more stupid price https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-Eine...s%2C85&sr=8-26

Seriously,who pays that kind of money for one CD?

For that sort of money Brahms would have written you a short choral work. It’s ridiculous.