Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Christina Landshamer, Florian Boesch, SWR Vokalensemble, NDR Chor
Orchestra: Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington
Number of Discs: 4
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: SWR Music
Catalogue: SWR19529CD
Release: 2021
Size: 933 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
01. I. Un poco sostenuto – Allegro
02. II. Andante sostenuto
03. III. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
04. IV. Adagio – Allegro non troppo, ma con brio
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
CD 03
Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
01. I. Allegro con brio
02. II. Andante
03. III. Poco allegretto
04. IV. Allegro
Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
05. I. Allegro non troppo
06. II. Andante moderato
07. III. Allegro giocoso
08. 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 hie keine bleibende Statt
07. VII. Selig sind die Toten
Sir Roger Norrington has been chief conductor of the former Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (today the SWR Symphonieorchester) for thirteen years. During this time he has caused a stir internationally with what has come to be termed ‘The Stuttgart Sound’: a synthesis of historically-informed performance practice with the technical capabilities of a modern orchestra. Whether in Mozart, Haydn, Bruckner or Brahms, Norrington has sought to capture the performance experience of the time, adjusting the orchestra’s size and seating plan to create an authentic sound without vibrato.
The present reissue of Brahms’ four symphonies, recorded back in 2005, is no exception to Norrington’s artistic credo of keeping as close as possible to the composer’s expectations. And one of the main features – beside the “pure sound” without vibrato – are the quick tempi. Brahms left no metronome indications in his symphonies. However, the overall timings left by the Brahms conductor von Bülow are so short, compared to today, that there can have been no very slow tempi in his interpretations.
Additionally, Norrington considered also one of the many hints left by another admired conductor and friend of Brahsm, Steinbach: “By all means conduct the opening of BrahmsFirst Symphony in 6. But it must sound in 2”. A German Requiem is one of the most popular compositions by Johannes Brahms. Although the texts are taken from the Bible, the piece is not part of any ecclesiastical-liturgical tradition, it is aimed – as Brahms himself expressly emphasized – at people “who are in mourning” and unlike the “Requiem”, the Catholic Mass of the Dead, it is not a liturgical prayer for the souls of the deceased, but rather intended to console the bereaved.