In a recent review
I wrote that the greatest composers
wrote the greatest music even if some
of that music is only rarely heard in
public. The greatness of the choral
works of Johannes Brahms only serves
to reinforce my viewpoint. Choral music,
as illustrated by the small amount of
concert performances and the frequent
number of deletions in the CD catalogue
remains unfashionable and has been so
for several decades. This is a terrible
shame as Brahms’s choral compositions
are remarkable. For the most part it
is unknown by the average listener leaving
a considerable treasure trove to be
unearthed. However the tide seems to
be turning. In the last couple of years
or so there have been several welcome
new Brahms cycles released in particular
from Chandos, ClassicO and Harmonia
Mundi. The ever-enterprising Brilliant
Classics is to be heartily congratulated
for releasing this collection at super-budget
price.
Throughout Brahms’s
career choral works, both sacred and
secular, were extremely popular throughout
Europe. In 1859 he co-formed and became
music director and conductor of the
Hamburger Frauenchor, a women’s choir
numbering some forty voices. This association
remained active until 1862. This experience
undoubtedly stimulated writing for choral
forces which he continued to do productively
for the rest of his life.
The Four Songs for
female chorus, two horns and harp, op.17
were composed in 1860, quite naturally
for his Hamburger Frauenchor. These
entrancing and delightful part-songs
are highly Romantic in style yet rarely
performed. It has been said that Brahms
chose the accompaniment of the two horns
for their association with ‘forest mystery’
and the harp for its evocation to ‘water
and wind’. Brahms’ biographer, Malcolm
MacDonald wrote: "had Brahms written
nothing but these four choruses he would
deserve to be remembered as one of the
lyric masters of the Romantic period."
Unfortunately the Chamber
Choir of Europe sing the choruses quite
slowly making these intrinsically joyous
and lively works sound like dirges.
This is especially the case in the opening
chorus, Es tont ein voller Harfenklang.
There is wonderful playing however
from harpist Martina Schrott and the
two horns players Sebastian Schindler
and Sebastian Schorr. In this op. 17
work nothing beats the performance of
the London Symphony Chorus on a Dame
Janet Baker selection from Virgin Classics
561469 2.
Brahms in his Six
Songs and Romances for unaccompanied
mixed chorus, op. 93a uses Romantic
texts which are economic and concentrated
in style. Nicol Matt and his choir perform
the six part-songs wonderfully with
a feeling of great warmth and regard
for colour.
The last of the Five
Part-Songs for unaccompanied mixed chorus,
op. 104 heralds a change of mood.
The song Im Herbst on a text
from Klaus Groth is one of Brahms’s
most exquisitely despondent works. The
performance is suitably evocative of
melancholy with a palpable intensity
of feeling.
Brahms originally composed
his Marienlieder for mixed unaccompanied
voices, op.22 for the women’s voices
of his Hamburger Frauenchor. The cycle
has a hymn-like quality, written in
the manner of old German church chorales
or German folk songs. On this release
we are offered only the first and fifth
of the Marienlieder, nevertheless
the Choir effectively convey Brahms’s
atmosphere of straightforward religious
faith and sheer radiance of mood.
The Three Motets
for four and eight-part unaccompanied
chorus, op.110 were composed by
Brahms in 1889 and were probably the
last choral works that he wrote. The
first and third Motets are written for
eight-part double chorus whilst the
second Motet, which is the only one
of the three here, is for four-part
chorus and uses an anonymous text. The
choir give a fine and most fluid performance.
The first of the Two
Motets for mixed chorus, op.74 was
composed in 1877 for double four-part
chorus and the second motet for four-part
chorus was composed some years earlier
between 1863 and 1870. The choir excel
themselves in these two wonderful works.
I would however recommend the interpretations
from the St. Brides Choir, Fleet Street
under Robert Jones on Naxos 8.553877
for their extra expression in what are
particularly moving performances.
The sound from this
SACD recording is clear and detailed
yet for me over-bright in the top registers.
Brilliant Classics usually have difficulties
with their annotation and this release
is no exception. To provide a new release
of choral works without any texts whatsoever
is frankly regrettable and poor marketing.
All the works on this release are taken
from the recent Brilliant Classics eight
CD set of the Brahms Complete A Cappella
Choral Works on catalogue number
92179.
An attractive selection
from Brilliant Classics of Brahms choral
works. At super-budget price this release
is well worth hearing.
Michael Cookson
Chamber Choir of Europe/Nicol Matt 
BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 92206 [59:18]