For a long time now I have hoped to have the opportunity one day to record the sacredchoral works of Johannes Brahms. In recent years these pieces have occupied me intensivelyand I have performed them frequently with a number of ensembles. The richness of theircontent has surprised me time and time again. In these works Brahms’s great exampleswere Schultz, Gabrieli and Bach, and it is wonderful to discover how he employs the compositionaltechniques of these masters to his own ends. In the patriotic Fest-und Gedenkspru?cheop. 109, for example, inspired by the accession of Emperor Wilhelm II in 1888, thecomposer uses predominantly block-like, homophonic techniques (probably with an eye toopen-air performance by large choirs). The choral groups alternate in broad movements,but occasionally the structure suddenly changes when prompted by the text: a reference tothe disintegration of the kingdom in the second movement, for example, is illustrated byapparently random entries of the parts without taking the beat into account, as though theentire structure falls apart. In his harmonic language, Brahms goes much further than hisRenaissance and Baroque examples, often adding notes beyond the key, for example insequences of falling fifths, taking the music to keys hardly within reach of composers of theseventeenth century. Doing justice to this work requires a choir capable of developing alarge, grandiose sound.
Peter Dijkstra
01. 2 Motets, Op. 74: I. Warum ist das Licht gegeben. Langsam und ausdrucksvoll 11:58
02. 2 Motets, Op. 74: II. O Heiland, reiß’ die Himmel auf. Tempo giusto 5:25
03. Fest- und Gedenksprüche, Op. 109: I. Unsere Väter hofften auf dich. Feierlich bewegt 2:20
04. Fest- und Gedenksprüche, Op. 109: II. Wenn ein starker Gewappneter. Lebhaft und entschlossen 3:15
05. Fest- und Gedenksprüche, Op. 109: III. Wo ist ein so herrlich Volk. Froh bewegt 4:48
06. Missa canonica, WoO 18: II. Sanctus 2:48
07. Missa canonica, WoO 18: III. Benedictus. Poco adagio 2:03
08. Missa canonica, WoO 18: IV. Agnus Dei 4:44
09. 2 Motets, Op. 29: I. Es ist das Heil uns kommen her 5:17
10. 2 Motets, Op. 29: II. Schaffe in mir, Gott. Andante moderato 7:05
11. 3 Motets, Op. 110: I. Ich aber bin elend. Andante con moto ed espressivo 2:58
12. 3 Motets, Op. 110: II. Ach, arme Welt, du trügest mich. Con moto 2:05
13. 3 Motets, Op. 110: III. Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein. Andante 3:25