Brahms lieder recording suggestions requested

[haydnguy]

I tried to order a complete set of Brahms lieder which Amazon initially said was available but when I proceeded to checkout, then told me it was no longer available. I thought would check here to see if there were any preferred recordings out there before going to the "marketplace" (which I probably should have done in the first place).

Thanks....

[micrologus]

Originally Posted by SchubertGuy

I tried to order a complete set of Brahms lieder which Amazon initially said was available but when I proceeded to checkout, then told me it was no longer available. I thought would check here to see if there were any preferred recordings out there before going to the "marketplace" (which I probably should have done in the first place).

Thanks....

Maybe you can try here ...

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/deta...me&rsk=hitlist

[Despina41]

Ok, well, first of all, it's not as easy as with Schubie, because Brahms only wrote one song cycle, and it's hardly his definitive contribution to the Lied genre. So you can't just go looking for "Dietrich Fischer Dieskau's recording of X song cycle." But then, of course DFD did record Die Schöne Magelone, because DFD has recorded every German song in the history of mankind. And when you record every German song in the history of mankind, sometimes you really create a special performance, and sometimes.. blegh. I find his barking in the beginning of Schöne Magelone to be particularly bad(, for example!).


So what you're going to get is either a complete set that just goes by opus numbers, or "Singers Pick Their Favorite Brahms Songs" -- that always annoys me. I hate when they do one song from this opus and one from another. But maybe that doesn't annoy you.


The complete Lieder edition on CPO with Banse, Schmidt, etc is pretty solid, which is what you should expect from a complete set. They have their moments, and it gives you the entire rep.

DFD, Jessye Norman, and Barenboim also recorded a complete set, which everyone seems to like, but I find it lackluster given what I expect from such big names. Perhaps it's Barenboim, but I'm not sure why I am so underwhelmed by it.

Those are the big two right now. Then there are individual CDs which mix Brahms Lieder and others - where you might find better performances. You, especially, MUST BUY the Quasthoff-Zeyen Schubert Schwanengesang CD that also has the Brahms Four Serious Songs.

This is a nice CD too, if the salad-bar approach doesn't bother you. It drives me crazy to have a song from op.103 then something from op.43....
http://erlenlieder.blogspot.com/2008...ann-inger.html

I have no idea why she didn't record the songs for alto and viola,op. 91.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwbA9WIMQKk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwbA9WIMQKk[/ame]


Ahem, I digress. There are certain sets of songs that are more popular than others (opp. 121, 96, 91, 103, 43) so you can find excellent performances of those by various artists. If you're like me and you have to know ALL the songs, get a complete set, then supplement it with the outstanding other performances.

Here's a list by opus number of all the vocal chamber music by Brahms:
http://www.gopera.com/lieder/opus/brahms.html

I point this out because there are a number of great Brahms DUETS and quartets that aren't in the complete editions. Think of the Liebeslieder!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_CXdfAGjeA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_CXdfAGjeA[/ame]

Sadly, the complete Brahms vocal ensembles collection is out of print and the one left on amazon seems to be going for 360-some Euros! I'll post some of those recordings later, since I got a few off Napster years ago.


Anyway, Brahms threw out anything that wasn't up to his standards, so even the "pop" songs are pretty darned good. I would get the CPO set and trust the young bloods over Barenboim and DFD. If you want Norman, there's a two-CD "best of" recording of the Brahms songs.

[haydnguy]

Thanks for this thorough review, Despina. I've looked at everything that you've listed and I think I'll work on getting the CPO series along with the Quasthoff CD that you mention.

I am not sold on Norman for Brahms (or Schubert for that matter). I was mainly wanting her for the Schoenberg Erwartung. From what I've read she has a strong, full voice that is ideal for the Schoenberg but is not as well suited for pieces that require a more delicate texture.

[micrologus]

I do agree with Despina: the CPO cd's are good choice! But Quasthoff is the one you should look for! The cd with Schubert's Schwanengesang
is superb!

Another cd I can recommend is this one:

[Despina41]

Originally Posted by micrologus

I do agree with Despina: the CPO cd's are good choice! But Quasthoff is the one you should look for! The cd with Schubert's Schwanengesang
is superb!

Another cd I can recommend is this one:


Attachment 1941

Yes, I thought I had already recommended that one well enough here:
http://brightcecilia.com/forum/showp...98&postcount=1

There are a couple songs from the album as well on that post.

[micrologus]

Originally Posted by Despina41

Yes, I thought I had already recommended that one well enough here:
http://brightcecilia.com/forum/showp...98&postcount=1

There are a couple songs from the album as well on that post.

I know you did. I just wanted to remind this one to Schubieguy

[Despina41]

Originally Posted by micrologus

I know you did. I just wanted to remind this one to Schubieguy

The Liszt on that CD is pretty great too!

[haydnguy]

Thanks, I must confess that I once had the Quasthoff with the Schwanengesang on my "To Buy" list and for some reason took it off!!!

My only excuse is that I usually have several things that I'm looking at, at once, and momentarily forgot why I had put that one on the list.

At any rate, their both on there now!!!!

[Herzeleide]

Originally Posted by Despina41

The Liszt on that CD is pretty great too!

Indeed! Very few people seem to know that Liszt wrote some great Lieder.