Brahms / German Requiem / Stuttgart / Bernius / 1997

[Roland van Gaalen]

Brahms: German Requiem (op. 45)
Kammerchor Stuttgart & Klassische Philharmonie Stuttgart
conductor: Frieder Bernius
live recording, 2 November 1997
Carus label, in box entitled 'Requiem' (3 CDs; 2024) also containing the
Requiem by Mozart (KV 626) and the Requiem in c by Cherubini

This is now my favorite recording, mostly because of the outstanding
choral singing and also because of the fine interpretation.

Moreover, the criterion of rising to the occasion in movement 6 (from
"Herr, Du bist würdig..." onwards) is a touchstone for me.

I compared this recording with my other favorite (it definitely remains
a favorite!), the live recording from 1992 by the Berlin Philharmonic,
with the Swedish Radio Chorus and the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir,
conducted by Claudio Abbado.

Honorable mention: the 1943 live recording by the NBC Symphony
Orchestra, with the Westminster Choir, conducted by Toscanini.

Dishonorable mention: the 1940 live recording by the Concertgebouw
Orchestra, conducted by Mengelberg, especially because of the cut in my
touchstone passage. (Was this amputation caused by not having enough
rehearsal time?)
--
Roland van Gaalen
Amsterdam

[Roland van Gaalen]

Another honorable mention:

the terrific 1955 recording by the Berlin Philharmonic, with the St
Hedwig Cathedral chorus, Elisabeth Grümmer and Dietrich Fischer-Diskau,
and with Rudolf Kempe conducting.
--
Roland van Gaalen
The Netherlands

[DeepBlue]

Post by Roland van Gaalen
Brahms: German Requiem (op. 45)
Kammerchor Stuttgart & Klassische Philharmonie Stuttgart
conductor: Frieder Bernius
live recording, 2 November 1997
Carus label, in box entitled 'Requiem' (3 CDs; 2024) also containing the
Requiem by Mozart (KV 626) and the Requiem in c by Cherubini
This is now my favorite recording, mostly because of the outstanding
choral singing and also because of the fine interpretation.
Moreover, the criterion of rising to the occasion in movement 6 (from
"Herr, Du bist würdig..." onwards) is a touchstone for me.
I compared this recording with my other favorite (it definitely remains
a favorite!), the live recording from 1992 by the Berlin Philharmonic,
with the Swedish Radio Chorus and the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir,
conducted by Claudio Abbado.
Honorable mention: the 1943 live recording by the NBC Symphony
Orchestra, with the Westminster Choir, conducted by Toscanini.
Dishonorable mention: the 1940 live recording by the Concertgebouw
Orchestra, conducted by Mengelberg, especially because of the cut in my
touchstone passage. (Was this amputation caused by not having enough
rehearsal time?)

Requiems not sung in Latin are obscene and blasphemous by definition.
They ought to be outlawed. Latin is part of the package deal. ;-)

Cheers!