Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Christa Ludwig, Philharmonia Chorus, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Ralph Downes
Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra
Conductor: Otto Klemperer
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Warner
Catalogue: 4043382
Release: 2013
Size: 1.26 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a “St. Antoni Chorale”
01. Theme. Andante
02. Variation I. Poco più animato
03. Variation II. Più vivace
04. Variation III. Con moto
05. Variation IV. Andante con moto
06. Variation V. Vivace
07. Variation VI. Vivace
08. Variation VII. Grazioso
09. Variation VIII. Presto non troppo
10. Finale. Andante
Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68
11. I. Un poco sostenuto – Allegro
12. II. Andante sostenuto
13. III. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
14. IV. Finale. Adagio
CD 02
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73
01. I. Allegro non troppo
02. II. Adagio non troppo
03. III. Allegretto grazioso. Quasi andantino
04. IV. Allegro con spirito
Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90
05. I. Allegro con brio
06. II. Andante
07. III. Poco allegretto
08. IV. Allegro
CD 03
01. Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
02. Tragic Overture, Op. 81
03. Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53
Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98
04. I. Allegro non troppo
05. II. Andante moderato
06. III. Allegro giocoso
07. IV. Allegro energico e passionato
CD 04
Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45
01. I. Selig sind die da Leid tragen
02. II. Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras
03. III. Herr, lehre doch mich
04. IV. Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen
05. V. Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit
06. VI. Denn wir haben hier keine bleibende Satt
07. VII. Selig sind die Toten
Otto Klemperer was born on 14th May 1885 in Breslau, Silesia (now Wroclaw, Poland) and died on 6th July 1973 in Zurich and hence next year we mark 40 years since his passing. He had had a remarkable career as a young man but it was at the age of 70 that he started a series of recordings that would not only establish him as an internationally renowned conductor but provide EMI with a catalogue of recordings that became and remain touchstones.
Besides being a great conductor Otto Klemperer was also a composer and when listening to his compositions you are left in no doubt that he was much influenced by the music of Brahms. It was therefore natural for Walter Legge, founder of the Philharmonia Orchestra and one of EMI’s chief recording producers should want to acquire recordings of the four symphonies of Brahms to set alongside those of Beethoven. The set also includes the Academic Festival Overture and Tragic Overtures and the “Haydn” Variations. For the soloist in the Alto Rhapsody Legge turned to the great mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig.
In 1961 Klemperer returned to recording Brahms by committing his classic performance of Ein deutsches Requiem to disc. With the soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as soloists and the magnificent Philharmonia Chorus this recording has remained a firm fixture in the EMI Classics catalogue since its first release.