Brahms anniversary

[Peter]

Today is the 113th year since Johannes Brahms departed this world - for some reason I always remember this date April 3rd! Anyway it's one that's usually forgotten so I thought I'd put in a word for the great Hamburger! Listening to the two wonderful sextets in honour.

[Michael]

Yes, he really deserves his place among the three big Bs. I stood at his grave a few weeks ago. He is buried right next to Johann Strauss II. A strange juxtaposition, you might think, but in life they were great friends. Somebody once asked Brahms for his autograph and he wrote out a few bars of the "Blue Danube". Below it he wrote: "I wish I had composed this."

[Bonn1827]

Michael, I presume you are referring to Zentralfreidhof? Yes, Brahms is one of the biggies isn't he? There is a recording on U-Tube of an ancient piano recording from 1888 by Brahms which is, unfortunately, barely audible.

I can't wait to return to Vienna in 9 months (for a 12 months stay) and to visit the Zentralfreidhof (spelling - I get the ie and ei confused) and its famous population interred therein. Necromancy? Or 19thcentury Romancy?

[Michael]

Michael, I presume you are referring to Zentralfreidhof? Yes, Brahms is one of the biggies isn't he? There is a recording on U-Tube of an ancient piano recording from 1888 by Brahms which is, unfortunately, barely audible.

?

I have a recording somewhere (among my tapes/vinyls/cds/dvds/blu-rays) well, forget about the last two, but somewhere I have a recording of Brahms's voice. In translation it says: "I am Johannes Brahms". Just think of it: if photographic and audio technology had been discovered a few years earlier we might have had the voice of the Master!
But we do have the voice of the Master!
(It's Easter and I've had a few glasses of wine, so please excuse the hyperbole!)
With apologies to Mozart and Haydn, I think Brahms's four symphonies are the greatest since You-Know-Who. (or whom? I get very pedantic when I'm drunk! And my apostrophes might not be spot on.)
And Philip might be lurking, ready to pounce!

[Bonn1827]

Yes, Michael, but for a few short years and we would have had moving image and, possibly, sound of the great Brahms. (My son has recently named his baby Johann, which is a buzz). You are so right - he's the greatest since you-know-who! I couldn't decide for decades on the best of his symphonies (woops, the list again!) and recently have decided, at the ripe old age of 60, that it is 3, 4, 1 and 2 - in that order. I have Carlos Kleiber with the 4th and, apart from poor digital mastering, it is absolutely wonderful!! Only von Karajan for the rest, and these are very ordinary indeed - some untidy playing in the 2nd!! Can you recommend the ultimate Brahms symphonic performances, please?

So, my tops are: 1. Beethoven/Bach
2. Handel/Brahms/Mozart/Schubert
3. Haydn/Schumann/Chopin
4. Monteverdi/Rameau/Scarlatti
5. Bartok/Prokofiev/Rachmaninov/Ravel
6. The rest!

Cheers!

[Hollywood]

I can't wait to return to Vienna in 9 months (for a 12 months stay) and to visit the Zentralfreidhof (spelling - I get the ie and ei confused) and its famous population interred therein.

Once you are back here in Vienna in 9 months maybe we can get together. I enjoy meeting fellow members of this forum when they are visiting Vienna.

[Michael]

I have Carlos Kleiber with the 4th and, apart from poor digital mastering, it is absolutely wonderful!! Only von Karajan for the rest, and these are very ordinary indeed - some untidy playing in the 2nd!! Can you recommend the ultimate Brahms symphonic performances, please?
Cheers!

I woult think you are doing fine with Carlos Kleiber whatever he conducts, but you would want to ask some Brahms experts if you want to know which performances are the "ultimate".
I have the four symphonies but they are with different conductors, none of them recent. George Szell does a fine job with the Cleveland on No. 4 while I was quite pleased to get the Second and Third on the one disc, conducted by Leonard Bernstein (who is one of my favourite conductors although his Brahms doesn't go down too well with a lot of listeners.)

[Peter]

I have Karajan's version and I think it rather good.

[Bonn1827]

Yes, Hollywood, it would be fun to catch up in Vienna. I'm frantically learning German and not doing too well, I'm afraid. Have been at it 6 months now.

[Chaszz]

Except for Peter, if I'm not mistaken I don't believe anyone has mentioned Brahms' wonderful chamber music. The Piano Quintet is perhaps the greatest of these works, almost symphonic in its weight and majesty. The two string sextets are more melodic and not far behind. And for a purely joyful song line, there is the main theme of the first Piano Trio. Only a few highlights from this library of chamber masterpieces which may be explored after one has worn out the (whatever passes for) grooves (these days) on the CDs of the orchestral works... And let's not forget the Alto Rhapsody!