BRAHMS. SCHUBERT Lieder

Pedersen and her Norwegian singers in mainland repertoire

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms

Genre:

Vocal

Label: BIS

Media Format: Super Audio CD

Media Runtime: 63

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: BIS-SACD1869

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 1, He, Zigeuner, greife Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 2, Hochgetürmte Rimaflut Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 3, Wisst ihr, wann mein Kindchen Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 5, Brauner Bursche führt zum Tanze Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 7, Kommt dir manchmal Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 8, Horch, der Wind klagt Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 9, Weit und breit schaut niemand Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 10, Mond verhüllt sein Angesicht Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(11) Zigeunerlieder, Movement: No. 11, Rote Abendwolken ziehn Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(5) Gesänge, Movement: No. 1, Nachtwache I (wds. Rückert) Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(5) Gesänge, Movement: No. 2, Nachtwache II (wds. Rückert) Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(5) Gesänge, Movement: No. 3, Letzes Glück (wds. Kalbeck) Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(5) Gesänge, Movement: No. 4, Verlorene Jugend (wds. trad, trans Wenzig) Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
(5) Gesänge, Movement: No. 5, Im Herbst (wds. Groth) Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
Psalm 23 Franz Schubert, Composer
Franz Schubert, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Ingrid Andsnes, Piano
Norwegian Soloists Choir
Gesang der Geister über den Wassern Franz Schubert, Composer
Catherine Bullock, Viola
Dan Styffe, Double bass
Franz Schubert, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Madelene Berg, Viola
Norwegian Soloists Choir
Ole Eirik Ree, Cello
Øystein Birkeland, Cello
(2) Motets, Movement: Warum ist das Licht gegeben (Wds. Bible: trans Lut Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Norwegian Soloists Choir
Geistliches Lied Johannes Brahms, Composer
Grete Pedersen, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Kåre Nordstoga, Organ
Norwegian Soloists Choir
I hadn’t come across these singers before: they are quite wonderful. Much is explained by the reference in the booklet to Grete Pedersen’s having been a pupil of Eric Ericson, the conductor responsible for building the reputation of the Swedish Radio Choir. The title of the disc is ‘Im Herbst’, taken from Brahms’s Fünf Gesänge, and the prevailing mood is certainly one of autumnal gloom.

The first group is a bit more cheerful, comprising nine of the 11 Zigeunerlieder that Brahms composed in 1887. Of the five that open with the tenors alone, ‘Wisst ihr’ begins delicately; when the whole choir enters, the singing has an utterly beguiling freshness. ‘Weit und breit’ is vigorous, the keenly articulated unison of the tutti offset by syncopations in the piano.

The unaccompanied Fünf Gesänge date from the following year. You can almost see the falling leaves of ‘Letztes Glück’, so graphically are they rendered by the choir. In the last stanza of ‘Im Herbst’, the way that Grete Pedersen shapes the lead into the second line compels admiration. Schubert’s setting of Psalm 23 provides some much-needed balm, but the women’s voices soon give way to the all-male Gesang der Geister über den Wassern, with its sombre scoring for violas, cellos and bass.

Back to unaccompanied Brahms for the severe counterpoint of Warum ist das Licht, briefly softened by some Mendelssohnian lightness. And there’s more contrapuntal ingenuity in the canonic Geistliches Lied. The luscious ‘Amen’, ravishingly sung, is worth the price of the disc.

Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music. 

Stream on Presto Music | Buy from Presto Music

Gramophone Print

  • Print Edition

From £6.67 / month

Subscribe

Gramophone Digital Club

  • Digital Edition
  • Digital Archive
  • Reviews Database
  • Full website access

From £8.75 / month

Subscribe

                              

If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.