Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

[Mandryka]

Lindsays and friends play Brahms sextets. If you heard this in a concert you'd be on the edge of your seat and up at the end shouting "Bravo!" The climaxes are so well managed, so thrilling, it completely effaces the memory of all others. 

[Mandryka]

Totally charming, gorgeous sounding, involving Piano Trio op 87 from Trio Sora.

[Que]

Totally charming, gorgeous sounding, involving Piano Trio op 87 from Trio Sora.

The amount of Brahms chamber music recordings these days is baffling...
Not long ago one could count the available recordings of the piano trios on the fingers of one hand.

But I'd prefer recordings with a period piano, because of the necessary balance between the instruments.

[DavidW]

The amount of Brahms chamber music recordings these days is baffling...

For a second, I thought Florestan wrote this!

[Florestan]

For a second, I thought Florestan wrote this!

Oh, I like Brahms's chamber music a lot.

[Mandryka]

There's a sneaky peek on spotify -- sounds very interesting indeed. Intimate.

https://static.qobuz.com/goodies/67/000210376.pdf


There's a real interesting aspect to the way this has been curated - many of the songs have been chosen because they bring out the "folk style" in Brahms's lieder output. It almost has me thinking that that's they're best lieder he wrote - the most sympathetic for the voice. I need to investigate his Deutsche Volkslieder I think.

The Gerhaher/Huber CD is well recorded, and I think it's thoroughly enjoyable.

[Symphonic Addict]

Earlier this month I attended two concerts where the String Quartet No. 2 (along with no other than Zemlinsky's String Quartet No. 2!) and the Variations and Fugue on a theme of Händel were played. On the first work the performance made me appreciate it much better. The first movement is very good, almost great; the third and fourth ones a tad more interesting and focused, and the second one... very disappointing. It's one of Brahms' least interesting slow movements for me. Even with the top-drawer rendition I attended, it sounded pretty plain, rambling and formless, although one can forgive that given how genius he was for the most part. On the other hand, the piano work was simply out of this world and the stellar interpretation cemented my love and admiration for it. The slow variations I found especially gorgeous, they express sheer poetry and refinement and several of them are in B-flat minor, one of my favorite keys. The final fugue left me breathless! It never ceases to amaze me how a human being can create something so majestic, transcendent and how another one can play it with such an impeccable touch and without the score in front of him/her. Listening to classical music at home gives me intense pleasure, but live concerts give me points of life aplenty.

[SonicMan46]

Lindsays and friends play Brahms sextets. If you heard this in a concert you'd be on the edge of your seat and up at the end shouting "Bravo!" The climaxes are so well managed, so thrilling, it completely effaces the memory of all others. 

BOY - I'll have to see if these are available on Spotify - already have the 3 versions attached so a lot of competition for me - Dave

[kyjo]

Earlier this month I attended two concerts where the String Quartet No. 2 (along with no other than Zemlinsky's String Quartet No. 2!) and the Variations and Fugue on a theme of Händel were played. On the first work the performance made me appreciate it much better. The first movement is very good, almost great; the third and fourth ones a tad more interesting and focused, and the second one... very disappointing. It's one of Brahms' least interesting slow movements for me. Even with the top-drawer rendition I attended, it sounded pretty plain, rambling and formless, although one can forgive that given how genius he was for the most part. On the other hand, the piano work was simply out of this world and the stellar interpretation cemented my love and admiration for it. The slow variations I found especially gorgeous, they express sheer poetry and refinement and several of them are in B-flat minor, one of my favorite keys. The final fugue left me breathless! It never ceases to amaze me how a human being can create something so majestic, transcendent and how another one can play it with such an impeccable touch and without the score in front of him/her. Listening to classical music at home gives me intense pleasure, but live concerts give me points of life aplenty.

Agreed re. the String Quartet No. 2 which, to me, is one of Brahms' least interesting works overall. (His #1 least interesting work IMO is Ein Deutsches Requiem which mostly bores me to tears, even when performing it!) I grew to love his troubled and stormy SQ No. 1 recently through performing it - it has the most lovely, intimate slow movement. Though my favorite Brahms chamber works remain the string quintets and sextets, Piano Quintet, piano trios, and cello sonatas. 

[Jo498]

The a minor quartet is my favorite of Brahms' quartets!
The first tries a bit too hard in the outer movements and the inner movements are hard to get right, especially the 3rd that can become tedious in some interpretations. And the Bflat major that might be the most popular of them I find too "neoclassicist".
The a minor is nicely balanced and lyrical.

[Madiel]

I think the B flat major is my favourite of the quartets, though I will have to listen to it again to verify. It's actually at the top of one of my listening projects at the moment. It's just one of the slower-moving listening projects...

[Lisztianwagner]

I prefer Brahms' String Quartet No.1 to No.2 too, it's a stunning work. The first and fourth movements are marvelous for their solid, dense textures and their thematic elaboration, as well as how more vigorous and powerful passages alternate peaceful and captivating sections; the second movement is rich with expressive tension and harmoniously angular for the contrast between lyricism and brief pauses, while the third movement is hauntingly beautiful.

[Mandryka]

The a minor is nicely balanced and lyrical.

I like it read more stormily than "lyrical" suggests.  Lindsay quartet for example, and Gringolts.

[Symphonic Addict]

Agreed re. the String Quartet No. 2 which, to me, is one of Brahms' least interesting works overall. (His #1 least interesting work IMO is Ein Deutsches Requiem which mostly bores me to tears, even when performing it!) I grew to love his troubled and stormy SQ No. 1 recently through performing it - it has the most lovely, intimate slow movement. Though my favorite Brahms chamber works remain the string quintets and sextets, Piano Quintet, piano trios, and cello sonatas. 

Ein deutsches Requiem has become (or perhaps has always been) a cult work. I think it's his piece that divides opinions the most. I'm not a declared fan either, but it sure has its moments. The second movement is quite powerful and imposing.

As for his string quartets, my vote goes to the congenial op. 67. I can't get enough of the 1st movement in particular. Love it to bits.

[Mandryka]

So I'm listening now to the Lindsay quartet play the A minor, and I'm inclined to say it's my favourite of the three in this performance, at least it is my favourite while listening. It's just so heart felt, candid, passionate. This recording - they were in a good mood for the concert clearly because the Mendelssohn is also special

[Jo498]

It's been a while that I listened to them but my favorite recording of the Brahms a minor is probably the ca. 1966 Janacek on Supraphon. Not particularly stormy but good characterisation of all the movements and also great details/transparency.

FWIW my preferences among the 3 Brahms quartets are not very strong although I am a bit surprised that the B flat seems to be the most popular as it's probably the one I like least which doesn't mean I don't like it. But I find the mix of the classicist outer and nostalgic-romantic inner movements not quite successful.

[Mandryka]

Lovely op 34a - the piano version of the piano quintet - from Uriate Mrongovius. I like it because they are more subtle than dramatic. The two have recorded some Ligeti, which I'm keen to try.