Brahms: String Sextets Nos. 1 and 2

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is just yummy. Early Brahms is, in some ways, a great deal more fun that his somewhat dour later music--not that there's any real falling off in quality. His later works, though, have a certain austerity completely absent from the hedonistic textural richness of these two string sextets--which is why they have always been among the composer's most popular chamber music pieces. They are also the perfect length to fit nicely onto a single CD, so at budget price and with excellent performances, you can wallow in some of the most luscious string writing this side of Mantovani, and never once regret the investment. What could be better that that? --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: l. Allegro ma non troppo
String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: ll. Andente, ma moderato
String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: lll. Scherzo, allegro molto - Trio. Animato
String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: lV. Rondo. Poco allegretto e grazioso
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: l. Allegro non troppo
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: ll. Scherzo. allegro non troppo - presto giocoso - tempo primo
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: lll. Adagio
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: lV. Poco allegro

Customer Reviews:

two sublime sextets.......2000-04-28

I have heard many recordings of the Brahms string sextets, and this is by far the best interpretation I have encountered. Brahms's signature sound -- lyrical, masculine, Germanic, unique -- infuses every phrase. Tempo and dynamics are exceptional, as is the always-important sense that we are listening to a single performer. This is harder to achieve with a sextet than with a quartet, but the players sound like one.

Average customer rating:

Brahms: String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Brahms: String Quintets Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 88 & 111
Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy
Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2
Mozart: String Quartets Nos. 14 - 23
Haydn: String Quartets Op. 76, Nos. 1-3

ASIN: B00005RHIA
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Tracks:

Str Sxt No.1 in B flat, Op.18: I. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
Str Sxt No.1 in B flat, Op.18: II. Andante, Ma Moderato
Str Sxt No.1 in B flat, Op.18: III. Scherzo (Allegro Molto) & Trio (Animato)
Str Sxt No.1 in B flat, Op.18: IV. Rondo (Poco Allegretto E Grazioso)
Str Sxt No.2 in G, Op.36: I. Allegro Non Troppo
Str Sxt No.2 in G, Op.36: II. Scherzo (Allegro Non Troppo - Presto Giocoso)
Str Sxt No.2 in G, Op.36: III. Poco Adagio
Str Sxt No.2 in G, Op.36: IV. Poco Allegro

Average customer rating:

Goodish, and Budget-Priced, but Not Quite Good Enough

Brahms: String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Brahms: String Quintets Nos. 1 & 2
Mozart: Complete String Trios & Duos
Brahms: Serenades Nos. 1 & 2
Brahms: Complete Trios
Debussy, Ravel: Streichquartette

ASIN: B0000013RI
Release Date: 1992-08-04

Tracks:

String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: 1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: 2. Andante Ma Moderato
String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: 3. Scherzo: Allegro Molto
String Sextet No. 1 In B Flat Major, Op. 18: 4. Rondo: Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: 1. Allegro Non Troppo
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: 2. Scherzo: Allegro Non Troppo
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: 3. Poco Adagio
String Sextet No. 2 In G Major, Op. 36: 4. Poco Allegro

Amazon.com

This is just yummy. Early Brahms is, in some ways, a great deal more fun that his somewhat dour later music--not that there's any real falling off in quality. His later works, though, have a certain austerity completely absent from the hedonistic textural richness of these two string sextets--which is why they have always been among the composer's most popular chamber music pieces. They are also the perfect length to fit nicely onto a single CD, so at budget price and with excellent performances, you can wallow in some of the most luscious string writing this side of Mantovani, and never once regret the investment. What could be better that that? --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Goodish, and Budget-Priced, but Not Quite Good Enough.......2005-02-14

There are many recordings of Brahms's two sextets. They are such favorites of string players that just about any time the appropriate six instruments get together, out comes the Brahms. It is no surprise, then, that this group of which I'd never heard (and about which Naxos doesn't tell us much, even to omitting the names of the individual players) would play and record these gems. The players are clearly very good, and the traversals are clearly well thought out. And there are some felicities worth mentioning. For instance, each of the variations in the second movement of the First Sextet is neatly characterized, possibly as well as I've ever heard. But overall there is rather a bashful quality to the playing, almost as if the players were afraid to dig into their strings. And the entire Second Sextet seems to lose rhythmic point. Listen to the tentative first and third movements of the Op. 36. It's nice, but is it Brahms? It almost sound like they're trying to make him sound like Fauré.

Still, for someone on a tight budget and unfamiliar with these well-beloved works, this might be an option. As for me, I think I'll stick with the performances of the Raphael Ensemble on Hyperion or the St.-Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Players on Chandos.

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

Brahms: String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2
Brahms , Menuhin , and Gendron
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000026K1P
Release Date: 1993-01-12

Average customer rating:

Pleasant, light-weight readings, too casual for these profound works

Brahms: String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: Asv Gold
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000ANDAN6
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Tracks:

Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Andante, Ma Moderato
Scherzo (Allegro Molto/Animato/Tempo I/Piu Animato)
Poco Allegretto E Grazioso/Animato, Poco A Poco Piu
Allegro Non Troppo
Scherzo (Allegro Non Troppo/Presto Giocoso/Tempo I/Animato)
Poco Adagio
Poco Allegro/Animato

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant, light-weight readings, too casual for these profound works.......2006-08-09

Besides the Piano Quintet, the most orchestral chamber works that Brahms wrote were his two Sextets for strings. They contain a great deal of profound music, yet the Lindsays play them both like serenades--light, fairly fast, and with easy polish. On their own terms, these are pleasant readings. If you had never heard the tremendous passion of the Alban Berg and Amadeus Qt. version on EMI, or performances almost as great from Marlboro and a starry group headed by Isaac Stern and Yo-Yo Ma, both on Sony, the Lindsays might sound better. But there's no guts to their playing, and after a while it all glides by too easily.

Average customer rating:

Brahms: String Sextets Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: Monopoly
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005KAW7
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Music Review: