Brahms – Alto CD

String Quartets: Brahms Nos.1-3; Dvořák No.12 ‘American’; Haydn Op.76/3 ‘Emperor’

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:48:34 +0000

“I’m struck afresh by the power, precision and sheer puissance of their music-making … The Brahms quartet recordings remain ‘outstanding’; affectionate but free of affection, considered yet vitally spontaneous” [Dvořák]: “strongly conceived, full of ardour … scherzo & finale show their brilliance of ensemble” (Penguin Guide 3*)

CD1 [61:00]

Johannes Brahms: String Quartet Op.51 No.1 in C minor [30:00]

1. Allegro 8:16 2. Romanze. Poco Adagio 6:49

3. Allegretto molto moderato e comodo – Un poco più animato 9:12

4. Allegro 5:41

Johannes Brahms: String Quartet Op.51 No.2 in A minor [30:50]

1. Allegro non troppo 9:24 2. Andante moderato 9:28

3. Quasi Minuetto, Moderato – Allegretto vivace 5:24

4. Finale. Allegro non assai 6:33

CD2 [78:00]

Johannes Brahms: String Quartet Op.67 in B flat major [32:02]

1. Vivace 7:39 2. Andante 7:22

3. Agitato (Allegretto non troppo) 7:36 4. Poco Allegretto con Variazioni 9:24

Antonín Dvořák: String Quartet Op.96 ‘American’ in F major [23:37]

5. Allegro ma non troppo 7:01 6. Lento 7:23

7. Molto Vivace 3:48 8. Finale. Vivace, ma non troppo 5:23

Joseph Haydn: String Quartet Op.76 No.3 in C ‘Emperor’ [21:58]

9. I: Allegro 6:33

10. II: Poco Adagio; Cantabile – Variations I to IV 7:27

11. III: Minuet: Allegro; Trio 4:14 12. IV: Finale: Presto 3:43

Brahms and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos Corelli ‘La Folia’ Sonata

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:45:56 +0000

[Brahms] “recordings are excellent, Grumiaux’s playing and interpretation equal any I have ever heard . . . balance between soloist and orchestra is natural, no praise is too high for interpretation – a most lyrical performance, full of beauty”
” [Mendelssohn] “these performances are among the best and Grumiaux’s playing has his usual purity of style and instinctive musicianship to commend it.”
[Corelli] : “a glorious tone, and he infuses Corelli’s beautiful slow movements with warm lyricism … difficult to resist such beauty” (all: Gramophone)

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 [25:56]

1. I. Allegro molto appassionato 12:00

2. II. Andante 7:28

3. III. Allegro molto vivace 6:27

Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op.77 [38:26]

4. I. Allegro non troppo 21:53

5. II. Adagio 8:44

6. III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace – Poco più presto 7:48

BONUS TRACK

7. Corelli: Violin Sonata in D minor, Op.5 No.12 “La Folia” 11:44

with Riccardo Castagnone (piano)

Bruch: Violin Concerto No.1; Scottish Fantasy; Brahms: Hungarian Dances 5,8,9

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:44:04 +0000

“A first-class recording helps this Concerto into a winner; that, with Oistrakh’s first-class performance. His technical wizardry can be taken for granted, but here is too, some unbending towards the warm romanticism the work requires … all these virtues result in an unhesitating recommendation”. (Fantasia) “The performance is superlative … The recordings have satisfying balance between soloist and orchestra, and both are excellent.” (Gramophone)

Bruch: Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op. 26

Bruch: Scottish Fantasia, Op.46
4. Introduction (Grave) – Adagio Cantabile 8:32
5. Allegro 5:13
6. Andante Sostenuto 7:37
7. Finale (Allegro Guerriero) 9:16

Brahms: Hungarian Dances WoO1. (arr. for violin Joachim)
with Vladimir Yampolsky (piano)
8. Hungarian Dance No.9 2:29
9. Hungarian Dance No.8 2:38
10. Hungarian Dance No.5 2:20

Brahms: Piano Concerto No.2, Op.83 Violin Sonata No.1, Op.78

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:41:28 +0000

(Concerto) “Richter’s 1960 performance has all the intensity of a live occasion and finds him in splendid form. … the basic structure is always kept in sight: there is impressive weight and authority as well as a warm Brahmsian feeling and it is far more dashing and spontaneous than his later recording (with Maazel)” (Penguin Guide 3 stars) (Sonata) ‘This was an extremely successful concert and it really should come out on record’. (Sviatoslav Richter 1985)

Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major, Op.83 (46:24)

[1] I. Allegro non troppo 16:39

[2] II. Allegro passionato 8:33

[3] III. Andante 12:34

[4] IV. Allegro gracioso 8:37

Johannes Brahms: Violin Sonata No.1 in G, Op.78 (23:49)

[5] I. Vivace ma non troppo 8:40

[6] II. Adagio 7:54

[7] III. Allegro molto moderato 7:14

Brahms: German Requiem / Dvořák: 3 Biblical Songs

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:39:57 +0000

“Klemperer’s reading …measured and monumental, the performance defies preconceived doubts. …with dynamic contrasts underlined, the result is uniquely powerful…. Solo singing is superb and the Chorus at the peak of their form.

Ein Deutsches Requiem

1. I. Selig sind, die da Leid tragen 9:54

2. II. Den alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras 14:24

3. III. Herr, lehre doch mich 9:49

4. IV. Wie lieblich sind Deine Wohnungen 5:46

5. V. Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit 6:51

6. VI. Denn wir haben hier 11:43

7. VII. Selig sind die Toten 10:10

Antonin Dvořák: from BIBLICAL SONGS, Op.99

8. I. Rings um den Herrn sind Wolken und Dunkel 2:25

9. IV. Gott ist mein Hirte 3:42

10. X. Singet ein neues Lied 2:00

Kathleen Ferrier sings Lieder

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:38:49 +0000

“In the Brahms and Mahler everything benefits from the loveliness of voice and sincerity of approach. Finest of all, I think, are the Vier ernste Gesänge, the voice at its most sumptuous and utterly right for the songs, the style having noble breadth and authority as well as keeping compassionate personal contact.” (© Gramophone). “I adore the Frauenliebe and I can see that girl growing up from a child to a woman – and these light songs are all the highlights of joy and sorrow” (Kathleen Ferrier)

Kindertotenlieder (Mahler / Rückert)

with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter (1949)

1. Nunn will die Sonn’ 4:49

2. Nun seh’ ich wohl 4:37

3. Wenn dein Mütterlein 4:31

4. Oft denk’ ich 2:56

5. In diesem Wetter 6:23

Frauenliebe und Leben Op.42 (song-cycle) (Schumann)

6. Seit ich ihn gesehen 2:40

7. Er der herrlichste von allen 3:19

8. Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben 1:59

9. Du Ring an meinem Finger 3:00

10. Helft mir, ihr Schwestern 2:05

11. Süsser Freund 3:52

12. An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust 1:24

13. Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan 3:56

Vier Ernste Gesänge Op.121 (Brahms)

14. No.1: Denn es gehet dem Menschen 4:59

15. No.2: Ich wandte mich und sahe 4:22

16. No.3: O Tod, wie bitter 4:12

17. No.4: Wenn ich mit Menschen – und mit Engelszungen redete 4:53

18. Gestille Sehnsucht Op.91 No.1 (Brahms / Rückert) 5:10

19. Geistliches Wiegenlied Op.91 No.2 (Brahms / Geibel)

with Max Gilbert (viola) 5:10

20. Sappische Ode (Brahms / Schmidt) 2:48

21. Botschaft (Brahms / Daumer) 2:08

Brahms: Serenades Nos. 1 and 2

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:36:57 +0000

“two of Brahms’s most endearing works… excellent bargain”
—Penguin Guide
“musically sensitive… dashing gypsy rhythms… irresistable”
— Gramophone
“Joeres’ music-making is warm, dignified and gracious… no need to look further.
— Rob Barnett, ,Musicweb International

Brahms’s early orchestral serenades have one foot planted in the circle of Robert Schumann, the other in the classical tradition of Mozart and Haydn. But they also contain more than a hint of the grandeur that would emerge in orchestral works to come â€” not merely the symphonies, but the choral music with orchestra, particularly the German Requiem.

This outstanding recording, originally released on Carlton and available only for a brief time, wowed critics in England and Germany. Alto returns this outstanding Brahms recording to the catalogue at an outstanding value price.

Sacred Brass

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:35:50 +0000

Sacred Brass

Catalogue No: ALC 1027

“The very best in brass playing, brass-arranging, and brass-recording. … [S]ome 21 brass and percussion players display every possible skill in the handling of the superlative arrangements by Eric Crees” â€” Gramophone

A sonic blockbuster recording of baroque music and Brahms arranged for virtuoso brass.

[1] Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata & Fugue in D minor, BWV565* 9:0

Giovanni Gabrieli (c1553-1612):
[2] Canzon XVII Ã 12(Canzone e sonate 1615) 2:30
[3] Sonata Octavi ToniÃ 12 (Sacrae Symphoniae 1597) 5:13
[4] Canzon XVIÃ 12 (Canzone e sonate 1615) 3:50

[5] Jeremiah Clarke (c1674-1707): The King’s March & Prince Eugene’s March* 2:30
(solo trumpets Maurice Murphy and Roderick Franks)

Gabrieli: From Sacrae Sinfoniae 1597
[6] Sonata Pian e ForteÃ 8 â€“ alla quarta bassa 4:54
[7] Canzon in Double EchoÃ 12 3:31
[8] Canzon Septimi Toni No.2 Ã 8 2:56
[9] Canzon Noni Toni Ã 12 3:31

Johannes Brahms (1833-97)
[10] Intermezzo, Op.119 No.2* 5:04
[11] Intermezzo, Op.119 No.3* 2:15
[12] Rhapsody, Op.119 No.4* 5:21

[13] Bach: Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV582* 13:24

* arrangements by Eric Crees. All editions published by Brass Wind Publications. [10]-[12] arranged and recorded specially in support of the Christopher Horn Trust (Charity No.1079838) / Colchester UK

Recorded: Barbican Hall, London (1991) and *St Brideâ€s Fleet St London (2000)
Re-mastered for Regis by Paul Arden-Taylor, Dinmore Records.