Search - Johannes Brahms, Kurt Masur, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig :: Brahms: Serenade Nos. 1 & 2 [SACD]

Big orchestra serenades

S. Swellander | San Antonio, TX | 12/12/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Brahms' Serenades are not as frequently recorded as his symphonies, but of the handful of recordings that are available, there is no lack of good performances. Some conductors give these pieces the big orchestra treatment (Haitink and Kertesz) and others treat them as chamber works (Abbado and MacKerras). The chamber approach is more common today.



So, are these works really symphonies in disguise or smaller scale serenades? Reasonable listeners may agree to disagree, but either approach can produce fine music.



When Kurt Masur recorded these pieces in 1981 with the Leipzig Orchestra, the "symphony in disguise" approach still dominated, right up until Charles MacKerras released his groundbreaking Telarc recording using the smaller forces of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. If you like the full orchestral approach, the present recording should satisfy. Masur opts for slower tempos than we usually hear in more current recordings, similar to Haitink's Concertgebouw recording from around the same time. The sound is warm and full, and on the four channel SACD layer, avoids the tubby bass that plagued so many Leipzig Gewandhaus recordings of the period. The multichannel Quadro mix is really quite beautiful.



Both serenades are worth having in several recordings, because there are so many different possible approaches. The main advantage of Masur's quite fine recording on Pentatone is the multichannel sound. Istvan Kertesz's 1960s recordings are more distinctive and energized, but with older yet still quite acceptable sound. Other good big orchestra versions include Haitink (his Phillips recordings from the 70s and his newer digital Opus 11 on LSO), Adrian Boult on EMI (good performances--older sound) and Tilson-Thomas (I have not heard these, but have read good reports). Chamber versions include Charles MacKerras (a popular, rather dry sounding recording that I never warmed to) and Claudio Abbado (the D major serenade only--a close up live DG recording available only by download through I-tunes).



"

The Brahms Serenades: Symphonies of the Style of Haydn and M

Hubert S. Mickel | 01/23/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Brahms' response to the somewhat hostile reception of his First Piano Concerto was a sense of consternation. Robert Schumann had written of his arrival on the musical scene in the article entitled, "Neue Bahnen" in the Neue Zeitschrift fuer Musik as the one to take the mantle of Beethoven's greatness. Brahms' response was to study the techniques of those who preceeded Beethoven, to learn what Beethoven had to learn in order to write his own symphonies. The result are these two lovely serenades. Brahms was learning as he wrote these works, and to hear the enormity of what he learned makes one truly appreciative of his genius. Brahms gained the confidence to write his First Symphony after mastering the techniques of those who preceeded Beethoven. Brahms knew there were those who listened, not with their heart, but rather with their left brain. They did not appreciate or feel the music, but could write about it as if they were an accomplished critic. I am appreciative that there are those who do listen and perform with their hearts. Kurt Masur is certainly one of these. He has recorded the four symphonies of Brahms most excellently with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. I consider them to be these best recordings to be heard of the Brahms Symphonies.



Why do I consider these to be the best recordings of the Serenades by Brahms? One reason is that they are authentic. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur plays a piece simply as it is written, authentically. American orchestras, for example the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Erich Leinsdorf, played a score so maximally altered that it was useless for any subsequent performance. A second reason is that they are played by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, probably today the world's best orchestra. Third, the conductor is Kurt Masur, arguably the best interpreter of Brahms in musical history. Close contenders are Furtwangler and Walter. Fourth, these performances have been remastered as a Hybrid SACD, and they have a clarity and separation of sound not exceeded by any other recordings available.



As can be surmised, I believe these recordings are the best. I recommend them to you wholeheartedly."