Eto Bieri And Meta4*, Johannes Brahms Gérard Pesson Salvatore Sciarrino – Quasi Morendo

Charles Mackerras’ marvelous recordings of Brahms’ four symphonies with these same forces for Telarc find a logical successor in this delightful release of the two early serenades. These are special works in Brahms’ output: carefree, breezy, and charming. The unusual freshness and clarity of their orchestration (the Second Serenade scored without violins) shows that the density of his symphonic sound clearly was a matter of intention rather than accident, or worse, lack of skill. Hearing these loosely constructed, generously tuneful pieces, we can only wonder at the effort Brahms must have made to curb his purely lyrical impulses and discipline his musical thought in such a way as to demonstrate his worthiness as symphonic heir to Beethoven.

Following the iconic series of the complete songs of Schubert and Schumann, Graham Johnson’s latest enterprise traverses the complete songs of Brahms. He is joined here on Volume 2 by the wonderful Christine Schäfer, whose contribution to the Schumann song series won a prestigious Gramophone Award.

This album features two major artists, past and present: Johannes Brahms and Arabella Steinbacher. However, even the best of artists have their less than perfect moments or works. These three sonatas, as played hereby Steinbacher and Kulek, come across as less exciting, lesser works by Brahms. The Sonata No. 1 sounds rather anemic as it begins (partly because of the recording quality), but Steinbacher chooses to play without much fullness or vibrato, even though she is playing a Stradivarius.

Johannes Brahms - Alban Berg Quartett - String Quartets & Piano Quintet (2016) {2CD Warner Classics}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 642 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 340 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 87 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2016 Warner Classics / Parlophone | 2564677147
Classical / Romantic / Chamber Music

All three of Brahms’ string quartets appear in this 2-CD set, along with his piano quintet, recorded live at the Vienna Konzerthaus, where Elisabeth Leonskaja joined the members of the Alban Berg Quartett. The ensemble’s name honours the continuity and vigour of Vienna’s long musical tradition, which reached one of its Romantic highpoints with these chamber masterworks, composed in the 1860s and 1870s.