Ein deutsches Requiem is the only choral piece by Brahms that's widely performed today, but during his lifetime his choral works were among his most popular and widely performed music. There were choral societies in practically every community, and most people (apart from those in cosmopolitan areas with the resources to attend orchestral concerts) were far more likely to know Brahms' choral music than his symphonies. (Modern listeners are likely to forget just what a luxury recorded sound is; Brahms himself once said that his fondest wish was to hear orchestral performances of all the Beethoven symphonies, a dream that went unfulfilled.) This exemplary recording by Det Norske Solistkor, led by
Grete Pedersen, which includes two pieces by Schubert, another composer whose choral music is too-little known, should whet listeners' appetites for exploring Brahms' extensive works for chorus. The later works in particular, the selections from 11 Zigeunerlieder (1887) and Fünf Gesänge (1886-1888), clearly come from the hand of a master; they are acutely expressive and marvelously subtle and avoid the kinds of easy clichés that can bog down more mundane Romantic choral repertoire. The Schubert works, one for women's voices and one for men's, are simply lovely, models of lyrical gracefulness. Det Norske Solistkor sings with pristine intonation and purity, yet its tone is full, warm, and colorful.
Grete Pedersen draws shapely, beautifully nuanced performances from the group. The sound of BIS' hybrid SACD is immaculate, detailed, and natural.