Johannes Brahms, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons - Ein Deutsches Requiem
STYLE: Choral RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 160152- LABEL: RCO Live RCO15003 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1
Reviewed by Steven Whitehead
It is your reviewer's opinion that any listener with any interest in choral music in general and church music in particular cannot ignore Johannes Brahms' 'Ein Deutsches Requiem' being, as it is, up there with Bach's Passions, Handel's 'Messiah' and Mozart's Requiem in the greats of the genre. This is, of course, reflected in the number of recordings available. Though there is such a wide variety available, I can confirm that this live recording (or compilation taken from two concerts at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam in September 2013) is more than adequate, ticking as it does many of the boxes. The choir and orchestra under chief conductor Mariss Jansons are more than competent and blend together very well but the highlights for this reviewer are the contributions from soloists Genia Kuhmeier (soprano) and Gerald Finlay (baritone). A new recording of a familiar and - for many - a favourite work has many ghosts of previous recordings to contend with. I found myself engaged throughout and by the concluding "Selig sind die Toten" would go as far as to say I was moved. If you have never heard Brahms' Requiem this would not be a bad place to start although I am not convinced that it is the definitive recording.
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