A Cappella, Volume One - Brahms / Parkman, Danish National Radio Choir

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It's possible to appreciate Brahms's Marienlieder--a set of seven songs set to texts honoring the Virgin Mary--solely on the basis of their charm and simplicity. Brahms modestly compared their style to that of "old German church chorales and folksong." But, although several even sound like folksongs and offer no harmonic surprises, the choral writing reveals much more sophistication than implied by the above references. The Danish National Radio Choir gives us bright, confident, musically solid readings of these unjustly neglected works and continues its program with similarly competent renditions of some of Brahms's finest motets, including the Op. 74 masterpiece "Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Muhseligen?" The recording gives this excellent choir plenty of room, and the sound is full and natural. The singing would benefit from better articulation of musical lines and text, but this seems to be more a function of the recording and not a reflection of the choir's technical ability. --David Vernier

Tracks:

Marienlieder, Op.22: Der englische Gruss
Marienlieder, Op.22: Maris Kirchgang
Marienlieder, Op.22: Marias Wallfahrt
Marienlieder, Op.22: Der Jager
Marienlieder, Op.22: Ruf zur Maria
Marienlieder, Op.22: Magdalena
Marienlieder, Op.22: Marias Lob
Two Motets, Op.29: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her
Two Motets, Op.29: Schaffe in mir, Gott, ein rein Herz
Two Motets, Op.74: Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Muhseligen?
Two Motets, Op.74: O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf
Fest- und Gedenkspruche, Op.109: Unsere Vater hofften auf dich -
Fest- und Gedenkspruche, Op.109: Wenn ein starker Gewappneter -
Fest- und Gedenkspruche, Op.109: Wo ist ein so herrlich Volk
Three Motets, op.110: Ich aber bin elend
Three Motets, op.110: Ach, arme Welt -
Three Motets, op.110: Wenn wir in hochsten Noten sein

Amazon.com

It's possible to appreciate Brahms's Marienlieder--a set of seven songs set to texts honoring the Virgin Mary--solely on the basis of their charm and simplicity. Brahms modestly compared their style to that of "old German church chorales and folksong." But, although several even sound like folksongs and offer no harmonic surprises, the choral writing reveals much more sophistication than implied by the above references. The Danish National Radio Choir gives us bright, confident, musically solid readings of these unjustly neglected works and continues its program with similarly competent renditions of some of Brahms's finest motets, including the Op. 74 masterpiece "Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Muhseligen?" The recording gives this excellent choir plenty of room, and the sound is full and natural. The singing would benefit from better articulation of musical lines and text, but this seems to be more a function of the recording and not a reflection of the choir's technical ability. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous, pure singing.......2000-10-30

This is a very beautiful recording. Now, it may be pointless to describe why one recommends a vocal recording: vocal production, and in particular the sound of a choir, seems to be a very idiosynchratic and personal taste. An ensemble that sounds great to you might sound terrible to me, and that's just the way it is.

So for what it's worth, I guess what I love most about this ensemble is its clarity. There's a purity of tone and transparency of texture that is perfect for this music, which (as with most singing, if you ask me) would be spoiled by a big, muddy sound. I suspect that this quality is due in part to the small size of the group and the lack of too much vibrato in individual voices, among other things.

Brahms also deserves some credit: the Marienlieder, with their uniquely simple and sweet appeal, should warm the heart of any but the most jaded listener. The motets are more typical of Brahms in their complexity of line and structure, but no less rewarding. I remember singing a couple of them in college choir. We didn't sound like this, but I learned to appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of the part writing.

If you love either Brahms or choral music - or both, this is truly a must-have cd.

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