Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

[Karl Henning]

I agree--not so much about the 2nd sonata, which I still enjoy quite a bit, but mainly about the 1st.  It is a recent discovery for me, but one which completely knocked me out, and is well on its way to becoming one of my favorite chamber works as well.

Oh, Brahms's œuvre is quite the rabbit-hole . . . .

[NorthNYMark]

Oh, Brahms's œuvre is quite the rabbit-hole . . . .

Indeed.  I've had my eye on that Hyperion set of complete chamber works for quite some time, and may pull the trigger shortly. 

[Marc]

Every time I hear the first bars of the Cello Sonata in E-minor op. 38 I know it's gonna be another long evening of sweet melancholy.

[Madiel]

Oh, Brahms's œuvre is quite the rabbit-hole . . . .

I am basically creating my rabbit-hole diary in this thread.

[Artem]

So, I bought this one and listened to it today for the first time. It definitely sounds different with more balance between orchestra and choir and vocals don't overpower the strings they way they do on Klemperer recording. But, to me it lacks highlights of the 1st and 2nd movements of the Klemperer's version, which are my favorite parts of the German Requiem. Will listen to it a few more times to let it sink in.

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[Karl Henning]

Leave it to Luke's mention of a favorite piece for me to find out . . . but is the Op.30 somehow absent (!!) from the Brilliant Complete Works box?  I'm having trouble finding it . . . .

[Jo498]

Geistliches Lied is on disc 5 in the Brilliant Brahms a cappella Choral (at least according to the back of the box). I do not know about the big Brahms box but I think the Choral box is a subset, so it should be there as well.

[Karl Henning]

Geistliches Lied is on disc 5 in the Brilliant Brahms a cappella Choral (at least according to the back of the box). I do not know about the big Brahms box but I think the Choral box is a subset, so it should be there as well.

I guess I need to bring the CD-ROM home to search it out (my eyeballing the set has come up empty).  It's not on the Vol. 5 of the apparently corresponding disc.  (Listening to the piece on YouTube, I find — and I ought probably to be a little embarrassed — that it's a piece I have sung!  And since it is accompanied by organ, I should find it a little counterintuitive to search the a cappella choral music discs — although, in fact, I looked, or tried to, at every CD sleeve . . . .)

[Karl Henning]

At less than 90 seconds, damned if that ain't a Little Wedding Cantata!

[Jo498]

Apparently the discs were re-organized for the newer edition (blue box) I have. Your disc 5 is (almost) my disc 4 (almost, because mine also has the canons op.113).

My disc 5 has the motets op.29,74,110, Missa canonica, Choruses with harp and horns op. 17 and as track 3 Geistliches Lied op.30.

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In any case, several of the works included have some accompaniment by piano, organ etc.

[Karl Henning]

Thanks!  Must wait on my return home to solve the puzzle . . . .

[Madiel]

Oh, how wicked the universe is sometimes. The very same day that, elsewhere on this forum, I talked all about my love of structure and developmental logic, my first ever listens to Violin Sonata No.2 are doing my head in.

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It's not that it sounds completely random, but I'm having a really hard time understanding the links between sections. Obviously, there's the middle movement with its dual Andante/Vivace nature, but the first movement is also really throwing me off!

I think I like it, but I don't understand it enough to be sure yet...

Is it just me? Or do other people also find this a puzzling piece?

[Madiel]

Okay, I'm getting it now...

Can I thoroughly recommend this site: http://www.kellydeanhansen.com/index.html

It's someone's collection of listening guides to Brahms' works. I find it incredibly helpful. To me it has just the right amount of detail to be helpful and interesting without overwhelming. It has timings based on particular performances, but working off the bar numbers and descriptions works well with any recording.

[Artem]

Thank you for that link. I'll try to use it next time I listen to the German Requiem.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Can I thoroughly recommend this site: http://www.kellydeanhansen.com/index.html

It's someone's collection of listening guides to Brahms' works. I find it incredibly helpful. To me it has just the right amount of detail to be helpful and interesting without overwhelming. It has timings based on particular performances, but working off the bar numbers and descriptions works well with any recording.

This is outstanding.    Thank you.

[Ken B]

Indeed.  I've had my eye on that Hyperion set of complete chamber works for quite some time, and may pull the trigger shortly.

Me too. Last thing I need though. BRO if they ever reopen had it at a decent price.
I do recommend the Sony box of Rubinstein plays Brahms. Super cheap and great stuff.

[NorthNYMark]

Me too. Last thing I need though. BRO if they ever reopen had it at a decent price.
I do recommend the Sony box of Rubinstein plays Brahms. Super cheap and great stuff.

Thanks for the suggestion--I'll look into it.

[Brian]

I do recommend the Sony box of Rubinstein plays Brahms. Super cheap and great stuff.

I recommend the Sony box of All Rubinstein (140+ CDs), but if you must have less than everything, his Brahms is among the best recordings I own of anything, involving a piano or otherwise.

[Jo498]

The Rubinstein Brahms box is recommendable without any restriction. Almost all of these recordings can be counted both among Rubinstein's best and among the best Brahms available. Of course the chamber music with only strings or including wind instruments is not included.

The huge Rubinstein-Box is IMO overwhelming unless you are a big fan and want 3-4 alternative recordings of a bunch of pieces (Beethoven/Brahms/Grieg concerti, lots of Chopin) by the same pianist. (I bought it in 2013 and I cannot say I regret the purchase (although I had already about 20 or more single discs included) but I am not sure if I will ever listen to all of it...)

[Ken B]

The Rubinstein Brahms box is recommendable without any restriction. Almost all of these recordings can be counted both among Rubinstein's best and among the best Brahms available. Of course the chamber music with only strings or including wind instruments is not included.

The huge Rubinstein-Box is IMO overwhelming unless you are a big fan and want 3-4 alternative recordings of a bunch of pieces (Beethoven/Brahms/Grieg concerti, lots of Chopin) by the same pianist. (I bought it in 2013 and I cannot say I regret the purchase (although I had already about 20 or more single discs included) but I am not sure if I will ever listen to all of it...)

Not only that but between the Brahms, Chopin, and Concertos boxes you get, dirt cheap, the bulk of his stereo recordings without multiple duplicates.