Brahms lieder

[Brahmsian]

I am just revelling and positively beaming after listening to some of Brahms' works for Choir a Cappella (usually vocal quartet w/ piano accompaniment).

I've only listened to 3 of the 8 discs (Works for Choir a Cappella) so far of this music in the Brilliant box set, but I just am unable to express just how much I love this music!  I have not been the greatest fan of lieder and German vocal music in the past, but all of the stuff I've listened to in the Brahms' box set (vocal music) has been (as Harry would aptly put).......a feast for the ears! 

[Mandryka]

I am really impressed by the depth of feeling and candour of Hunt Lieberson's Brahms recordings, both the recital from the Wigmore Hall and the one from Ravinia.

Totally worth having, the both of them.


I so regret never seeing her -- I had a tickets for  Bach concerts -- staged of course -- but she cancelled twice. Once because of terrorist attacks after 9/11 here in London. And then about a year after she cancelled because of illness.

And then she sadly, prematurely, died.

[Brahmsian]

re:  Brahms folk songs 28 deutsche Volkslieder, WoO32

These are gorgeous.  I'm not sure why Brahms didn't publish these?  Among some of his other unpublished vocal works, many of which are marvelous.

[val]

The first great cycle of Lieder composed by Brahms (1833) was the Romanzen aus Tiecks Magelone. There is a superb version of this work by Fischer Dieskau/Sviatoslav Richter.

Among the great Lieder of maturity I would refer some famous and sublime masterpieces such as Auf dem Kirchhofe, Ständchen opus 106/1, the Lieder opus 91, Sapphische Ode, Regenlied opus 59/3, Von ewiger Liebe, Meine Liebe ist grün and Therese opus 86/1 and, obviously the last cycle, Vier ernste Gesänge opus 121.

Hans Hotter seems to me the most perfect interpreter of this works, in special the opus 121.

Then we have the remarkable anthologies of Fischer Dieskau/Barenboim and Baker/Aronowitz/Previn, and regarding the beautiful Quartets opus 64, the version with Mathis, Schreier, Fischer Dieskau annd Sawallisch.

[knight66]

Hotter is terrific in the 'Four Serious Songs'. DFD, Baker and others sit close behind him.

I am not at my home computer and can't check without coming out of the site, but I assume the quartets referred to are the 1st Liebslieder set? If so, the recording referred to also included Fassbaender. I had it on LP, but found it too forward with an almost agressive sound picture I preferred the much older version with Ferrier and there is a very good version with Britten and Richter playing. These pieces need to avoid the big operatic approach to realise their charm and wit. I felt the Sawallish version was indeed too operatic.

Mike

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I am not at my home computer and can't check without coming out of the site, but I assume the quartets referred to are the 1st Liebslieder set? If so, the recording referred to also included Fassbaender. I had it on LP, but found it too forward with an almost agressive sound picture I preferred the much older version with Ferrier and there is a very good version with Britten and Richter playing. These pieces need to avoid the big operatic approach to realise their charm and wit. I felt the Sawallish version was indeed too operatic.

The Op. 64 Val is referring to is included in that DG set but isn't part of either Liebeslieder. It's a stand-alone piece.

If by chance you're looking for a recording of the Op.64 that's more subtly inflected than the DG (and sumptuously recorded) there's a fine alternative on Arabesque, which is part of a larger set of vocal quartet works (with the addition of Op.121):

[knight66]

Thanks DD, now that I am home let's sort out my errors.

1) Here is the Liebeslieder recording I did not like....



Mathis, Fassbaender, Schreier, FDF, Engel and Sawallish. These songs are in two groups, Op64 and Op 52.

2) Ignore my remarks as though attached to Op 64.....I don't know them.

However, referring to the Liebeslieder: a version I recommend is this one...



I can't find the Ferrier one.

However, the Britten one is available at a premium.



Heather Harper, Janet Baker Pears and Thomas Hemsley.

Mike

[mc ukrneal]

Thanks DD, now that I am home let's sort out my errors.

1) Here is the Liebeslieder recording I did not like....



Mathis, Fassbaender, Schreier, FDF, Engel and Sawallish. These songs are in two groups, Op64 and Op 52.

2) Ignore my remarks as though attached to Op 64.....I don't know them.

However, referring to the Liebeslieder: a version I recommend is this one...



I can't find the Ferrier one.

However, the Britten one is available at a premium.



Heather Harper, Janet Baker Pears and Thomas Hemsley.

Mike

I don't really like that DG either, although it gets good reveiws. I have this one below that I have enjoyed (would love to hear the Britten, but prices just too crazy) and it also includes Op 64. The sound and clarity are just fabulous here...

[knight66]

I recall that the disc got good reviews.

There are also versions with choir....but despite me being a choral singer, I am allergic to that concept for the pieces; ditto for choral versions of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater.

Mike

[karlhenning]

O/T tangent . . . but I sometimes think that in the Hereafter, Britten must be growing tired of the boat-on-the-shingle photos on his albums.

[knight66]

I thought that he loathed Brahms, despite which his accompaniment is sparkling.

Mike

[karlhenning]

I thought that he loathed Brahms, despite which his accompaniment is sparkling.

Mike

As a student he loved Brahms, but he reversed later in life.  Not sure what the re-polarization process was like . . . .