Album insights
For me, Brahms' grand works brim with strength, drama, and stormy passion, as once discovered by Jorge Luis Borges in "Fuego y cristal." To best express this fire and crystal, a compelling approach involves situating his symphonies within the context of his wonderfully neglected choral music, alongside pieces by revered old masters like Schütz and Bach, as well as newer heroes like Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Schumann. Through this lens, we can gain fresh insights into his symphonic creations and redirect focus to the vocal elements inherent in his orchestral style. By composing weighty choral works like the "Schicksalslied," "Alt-Rhapsodie," "Nänie," and the "Deutsches Requiem," Brahms gained invaluable experience in orchestrating long before penning his first symphony. These pieces acted as vessels for his deepest musings, showcasing a desperate drive at times to convey significant messages. Solemnity, pathos, horror, and rejoicing joy—all these emotions were traversed before emerging into light in the final movements of op. 68.
In preparing for a project aiming to perform his most significant and renowned works—the "German Requiem" and the four symphonies—in this context, it was imperative to uncover and experiment with Brahms' favored instruments (such as natural horns) and reassess the size and composition of orchestral instrument groups while seeking clues to revive forgotten performance styles. Brahms oscillated between despair and delight upon hearing how conductors of his era interpreted his symphonies—a range of critiques from "quite mediocre" (Hans Richter) to "always aiming for effect" (Hans von Bülow), yet "so lively" (Hermann Levi), "extraordinarily sensitive and academic" (Otto Dessoff), and "vibrant and elegant" (Fritz Steinbach). He disapproved of metronomic rigidity on one hand and petty, exaggerated expressiveness on the other (Walter Frisch). Numerous notes on the symphonies were dictated by Steinbach to his former student Walter Blume, revealing the smooth tempi and nuanced yet disciplined interpretations favored by Brahms. Steinbach's articulations and phrasings may appear classical to 21st-century musicians seeking access to Brahms, resonating historically with figures like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven before evolving towards a continuous legato under the weight of Wagner's notion of an "endless melody."
Brahms' orchestral music operates on multiple levels simultaneously, presenting a tremendous challenge for performers to preserve the intricate depth (the myriad hints and ambiguities he employs) without blurring or clouding the tension between the artistically crafted surface and the subtle ebb and flow of emotions concealed just beneath. The concept of reconstructing the "true" and "original" Brahms is indeed a fantasy. Ultimately, our primary interest lies in understanding how Brahms can resonate in our era—what his music has to convey to us today.
Sir John Eliot Gardiner © 2010
Translated by Gudrun Meier