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 Excellent on Most Counts Dec 17, 2009
After having owned and listened to many Brahms Requiem recordings, this is probably my favorite overall in spite of its age. The singing is superb, and George London's rather dark, dramatic approach seems quite appropriate and appealing. Orchestral vs. vocal/choral balance is very good also. The somewhat quicker tempi employed by Bruno Walter also seem well chosen and enhance the performance's effectiveness. For instance, "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place" really does seem lovely and attractive, rather than dreary. The one section where the fast tempo seems excessive is the second great chorus, #6: "Denn Wir Bleiben..". Here, it sounds more like Verdi on espresso than like Brahms. The sound is very good mono, but too bad they couln't have waited one more year for early stereo. Apparently, there were concerns about Walter's failing health. The bass is present, but a little sloppy, while the treble is generally quite good, with very little shrillness. The quality of Columbia's work here is readily apparent when one compares it to the rather poor sound of EMI/Angel recordings of the same period. One reviewer mentions that the very fine "Alto Rhapsody", having been recorded in early stereo, is at a somewhat louder volume. This minor problem can be solved by listening to it in mono also. The sound only suffers minimally, and still has plenty of impact. You won't miss the stereo.
Powerful! Nov 10, 2009
I have not heard any other version of Brahms's German Requiem, but I would say that this is an excellent performance. The second and sixth movements are very powerful. The Alto Rhapsody is very good as well. The sound quality (recorded 1954) is not top-quality, but it is not bad. I would highly recommend this CD to those interested in Brahms's fantastic German Requiem.
A German Requiem
1st Mov. - 8:52
2nd Mov. - 13:07
3rd Mov. - 9:41
4th Mov. - 4:49
5th Mov. - 6:39
6th Mov. - 10:03
7th Mov. - 9:28
Alto Rhapsody - 12:25
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Historic Brahms recordings by Bruno Walter Nov 17, 2007
In the year of Bruno Walter Schlesinger's birth (1876), Johannes Brahms had already published his German Requiem and was currently completing his first symphony. The lives of these two musical giants would overlap for another twenty years.
It is therefore a significant event when two of Brahms' greatest choral works are recorded by one of his contemporaries.
Bruno Walter was 78 when he finally decided to put the German Requiem to disc (Dec 1954, New York City). The project brought together a veritable all-star cast: George London, Irmgard Seefried, the Westminster Choir, and the New York Philharmonic.
Sadly, the mono sound tends to obscure some of the wonderful work produced by these first-rate artists. Nevertheless, this album is guaranteed to provide thrills even in the HDTV era.
At 62", this is one of the fastest readings ever recorded, beating even Gardiner's 65" period instrument rendition on Philips. However, Walter's brisk tempos are not applied haphazardly. Movements 2 and 5, for example, are only about a minute faster than Karajan's much longer 75" recording of 1976.
George London was my major draw toward this album. His is a big, powerful sound (he's recorded Wagner's Wotan) that has a certain malevolence that seems to touch everything he sings. You will not easily forget his work.
I've heard lots of performances of the Movement 5 aria that seem tepid and bland. I could never understand this, since this score is brimming with emotion. Fortunately, that is not the case here. Irmgard Seefried has a rich, full-bodied operatic voice that turns Brahms' concert aria into a truly heart-rending listening experience.
The Westminster Choir is a top-notch ensemble. While the mono sound dampens some of their brilliance, their fine work is still very evident throughout this recording. The difficult Movement 6 has never sounded so intense and energized.
The Alto Rhapsody was recorded in Hollywood in Jan 1961, a year before Walter's death. Mildred Miller (Metropolitan Opera debut in 1951) does a gripping rendition, with sturdy backup from the Occidental Colege Concert Choir.
Unlike the Requiem, the Alto Rhapsody was recorded in stereo. Miller's solo is particularly well-miked.
No texts provided.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A German Requiem of terror and tenderness Mar 16, 2006
Bruno Walter went for drama rather than reverence in this 1954 recording of the German Requiem with the NY Phil. As others have noted, he takes vigorous tempos--the overall timing of 62 min. compares with 69 min. for Klemperer and Shaw, 75 min. for Karajan's EMI account from the Seventies. George London is fervent and at times terrifying in his solo singing, rendering the suffering and hope of a sinner in the face of death. At the other extreme, Walter's characteristic tenderness also comes through in the hushed choral singing of the first two movements. One can't expect a dated mono recording to capture the full sound of orchestra and chorus realistically, but this is such a hair-raising experience that it hardly matters.
The filler is an Alto Rhapsody in stereo from 1961, which Walter saves from its usual lugubrious fate. In fact, this is some of his most impassioned conducting in old age, and although neither Mildred Miller nor the Occidental College choir behind her are first-rate, Miller sings with intensity, in keeping iwth Walter's conception. Five stars to both performances.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
A Last Memento of a Brilliant Conductor Dec 10, 2004
Bruno Walter was not only one of the very finest conductors of both symphony and opera in the 20th Century, he was an unassuming poet whose every thought and gesture was about the composers' intentions. On the podium he was revered by orchestras and singers and choruses and always demanded (and got) as close to perfection as the moment allowed.
This recording of the Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem is holy and the contributions by the chorus and the soloists are understated in the way that Walter achieved his most profound effect.
It is in the accompanying "Alto Rhapsody" for Mezzo Soprano, men's chorus, and orchestra that the essence of this great man can be most securely felt. In the early 1960s, knowing that Bruno Walter would not live much longer, John McClure of Columbia Records assembled the 'Columbia Symphony Orchestra' - musicians drawn form the finest of the studio musicians in Los Angeles - and set up a recording site in the American Legion Hall next to the Hollywood Bowl where he facilitated such recordings as this Alto Rhapsody, Brahms 'Schicksalslied', Wagner, Mahler, and others. Bruno Walter himself auditioned choruses for these recordings and elected to engage the Occidental College Concert Choir as trained by Howard Swan to sing the choral elements. For the Mezzo he chose the underrated Mildred Miller. The result is as perfect a concept of the Alto Rhapsody ever recorded. Originally this work was released with Brahms' "Schicksalslied" and Mahler's "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen". Would that that old CD be available still.
The experience of making music with the mighty but gentle Bruno Walter is an unforgettable experience for performers and audiences. Warm memories of being in the chorus for the Alto Rhapsody will always be among the most treasured in my musical experiences. This is a recording for the ages. Grady Harp, December 2004
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