[SoundsGood]

I couldn't find much about this masterpiece in the threads here. I'm curious to read what people's favorite recordings of this are. It's such an amazing piece! Lately I've been listening to Rudolf Kempe/Berlin Philharmonic from 1955 (Elizabeth Gruemmer and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as soloists) and Carlo Maria Giulini/Vienna Philharmonic from 1995 (Barbara Bonney and Andreas Schmidt soloists). I like both recordings very much. Barbara Bonney sounds simply amazing. They are both fairly slow readings, but then I don't mind that in this piece. The Kempe is mono, but still sounds pretty decent.

I also own Daniel Barenboim and James Levine's recordings with the Chicago Symphony. I prefer Levine's recording, which is not bad. I think it gets a little too aggressive at times though. Barenboim is ok, but not my favorite. His Brahms seems to go in and out of favor with me.

Otto Klemperer/Philharmonia Orchestra is the standard everyone goes by in this piece, but strangely enough I don't really warm up to that recording.

So, what are your preferred Brahms Requiems?

 

[mbhaub]

Klemperer...and I think I know why. Klemperer, like Brahms, were atheists. Hard to believe. How could a non-believer write such a glorious work. How could an atheist conduct with such transcendent majesty? But I know this version isn't to all tastes. It is on the slower side, to be sure. Of more modern versions I really love the Blomstedt on Decca, and would never be without the Walter on Sony, either. I liked the Giulini, but have never heard the Kempe, a conductor I just never got into.

 

[Tyson]

My fave it Tennstedt. Slow, but beautiful and profound.

 

[vcoheda]

i only have about 3-4 recordings of the requiem, but of them i like the klemperer.

 

[wower]

I didn't know Brahms was an atheists. I don't think thats in the wiki.

 

[DarkAngel]

I don't listen much to the German Requiem but I have taken the ying/yang approach to cover both sides of the stylistic spectrum with:

Klemperer/EMI GROTC
Gardiner/Phillips

 

[blubliss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbhaub /img/forum/go_quote.gif Klemperer, like Brahms, were atheists. Hard to believe. How could a non-believer write such a glorious work. How could an atheist conduct with such transcendent majesty?

Not too sure about this proclamation. This book seems to paint quite a different picture. I read it years ago.

 

[Thelonious Monk]

All atheists. It's insane to insinuate that atheists are somehow musically dumb.

 

[blubliss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /img/forum/go_quote.gif All atheists. It's insane to insinuate that atheists are somehow musically dumb.

Please look at my post again. In no way did I insinuate the musical abilities of atheists was inferior. I merely pointed to another view. Read the book and let me know what you think.

 

[Thelonious Monk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blubliss /img/forum/go_quote.gif Please look at my post again. In no way did I insinuate the musical abilities of atheists was inferior. I merely pointed to another view. Read the book and let me know what you think.

Sorry, that comment was directed at mbhaub.

To my understanding, Brahms read and was inspired by the Bible, but only on a cultural level. He was a "complete agnostic," as he stated in a letter to Herzogenberg.

 

[blubliss]

No problem, i should have noticed that.

I still think he had other thoughts on his relationship with some sort of Spirit, as he says in the book. He talks about his work coming from that source if i remember correctly.

 

[centerfold]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /img/forum/go_quote.gif All atheists. It's insane to insinuate that atheists are somehow musically dumb.

People with syphilis are also pretty good composers too !

 

[Agent Kang]

For me, its Karajan/Janowitz/Waechter- BPO - DG or Walter.