Johannes Brahms: Quartet for Piano & Strings

On this CD:

1. Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Amadeus Quartet with Norbert Brainin, Martin Lovett, Murray Perahia, Peter Schidlof

Tracks:

Allegro
Romanze: Poco Adagio
Allegro Molto Moderato E Comodo-Un Poco Piu Animato
Allegro
Allegro Non Troppo
Andante Moderato
Quasi Minuetto, Moderato-Allegretto Vivace
Finale: Allegro Non Assai

Tracks:

Vivace
Andante
Agitato (Allegretto Non Troppo)-Trio
Poco Allegretto Con Variazioni-Doppio Movimento
Allegro Non Troppo
Andante, Un Poco Adagio
Scherzo: Allegro-Trio
Finale: Poco Sostenuto-Allegro Non Troppo-Presto, Non Troppo

Amazon.com

This handsome set of Brahms's chamber music features the stunning Emerson Quartet, and in the Piano Quintet, the pianist Leon Fleischer, happily recovered from a very lengthy crippling illness. The Quintet is singingly, lyrically played, with Brahms's long melodies the focal point. It's a beautiful performance, with the Emerson seemingly listening to and following Fleischer. The Quartets are performed with lush tone, with the Op. 51, no. 2, sounding particularly intense, with each dynamic change pointedly underlined. Op. 51's second movement (Romanze) makes the listener wish Brahms had set a text to the music -- it is played with exquisite lyricism. The B-flat major Quartet is vibrant, with the final movement's variations, colored by the viola, so clearly played that one can hear the echoes of the Quartet's first movement. A fine pair of CDs. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Brahms' Bonus Bargan..........2007-07-25

.
What can one say?--for the price of a pack of cigarettes (nearly!), you can now obtain what are probably the finest Brahms' string quartet realizations available.

I find it strange that Brahms' string quartets have never really been "popular." Possibly this popular ambivalence is due to his running away from Beethoven and towards Schoenberg. Anyway, I've always loved them for this reason, and I have long preferred the old Amadeus reading Brahms: The String Quartets/Dvorak: Quartet, Op. 96 for its Schoenbergian razor-sharpness.

Fleisher--sorry for his trouble; glad he's back; definitely NOT the star of this disc. The Quartets are.

By the way, if you want the finest realization of Brahms' Piano Quintet, look no further than Glenn Gould's Glenn Gould Edition: Schumann & Brahms What he does with the inner two movements is absolutely astounding, while taking the whole work as a gestalt: now, that is Art.
.

A very fine digital recording of the quartets.......2007-06-25

Leon Fleisher and the Emerson Quartet had a chance to make a fabulous digital recording of the Brahms F minor Piano Quintet--but they blew it. Instead we get an okay performance that features an overly thoughtful interpretation and frustratingly slow tempos in some spots. This is not an autumnal work, and the attempt by the players to do it that way doesn't work for me. I am not a total fan of the Emerson quartet--I personally prefer the more urgent and less lyrical sound of the Juilliard or Tokyo Quartets. However there is some exceptional playing in the 3 Brahms Quartets. Given the low price and the scarcity of recordings of the Brahms Quartets, I would recommend this 2-disc set.

Best Recording of the Brahms Piano Quintet & Superb Brahms String Quartets Too.......2007-06-21

I have long been a fan of Murray Perahia's great recording of the Brahms Piano Quartet with the Amadeus String Quartet, but now, Deutsche Grammophon has released what ought to be regarded as the definitive recording of this work. The great American pianist Leon Fleischer - who has thankfully recovered the use of his right hand due to some rather intriguing, innovative treatment - leads the Emerson String Quartet in a stunning, quite rhapsodic performance of one of the great works in the Piano Quintet repertoire, and indeed, of chamber music itself. I should add too that "lead" is the correct verb to describe this admirable performance by all five musicians in this truly incandescent recording, which is replete with ample distinguished, lyrical playing from cellist David Finckel and his Emerson String Quartet colleagues (Their playing is truly distinguished, at a technical and interpretative level which is unquestionably at a higher level than the Amadeus String Quartet's.). As for the three Brahms String Quartets, these are inspiring, vibrant performances in their own right, with ample exqusite lyrical playing from all four string players. Recorded over the course of several years in the venerable American Academy of Arts and Letters auditorium in Washington Heights, Manhattan (New York, NY) Deutsche Grammophon's sound engineers have done an exemplary job in capturing with exqusite detail ever note played by these five superb musicians, in an acoustical setting that should be regarded as quite ambiently warm. Needless to say this two-CD set is one of the finest recordings released by both pianist Leon Fleischer and the Emerson String Quartet. Devout fans of these musicians, Johannes Brahms' chamber music, and of great classical chamber music in general, will want to add this fine recording to their collections.

Overproduced.......2007-05-22

I never thought I would apply this adjective to a classical recording, but somehow it perfectly describes the cultured detachment of these performances, especially the Op 51, No. 1 C Minor Quartet. There is not a note out of place, the phrasing is precise and musicianly, the execution of its architecture is flawless, but... the sum of the parts is bloodless.

It's not the recording I would have expected given their full blooded Beethoven cycle. In fact, the Brahms production has more in common with their Mendelssohn cycle than the Beethoven. Their Mendelssohn too, was beautiful, but leaning toward the beauty of a still life. There are other performances, in both the Mendelssohn and the Brahms, that better capture the pathos of the music. Compare Emerson's performance of the C Minor Quartet with that of the Alban Berg Quartet, a superior performance. What the Berg may lack in refinement and polish, only in comparison to the Emerson Quartet, they more than make up for in sheer vitality.

And that's the nub of it. The desire, impetuosity, fear, triumph and pathos is missing -- in short, youthfulness. I just read a review, in the New York Review of Books, of some new translations of Casanova's autobiography and one of his statements reminds me of the Emerson. Casanova wrote that throughout his thirties, his vigor faded. I can't help wondering if the same thing hasn't happened to the Emerson quartet. They are more polished than ever, but the vigor has faded. The sexual rush of the great music is missing.

The Piano Quintet becomes an instant classic--Fleisher is incomparable.......2007-05-09

One could say that this DG 2-CD set is unmissable even before the first track begins. At two-for-one price we get to hear the great Leon Fleisher, miraculously recovered from his decades-long muscle affliciton (thanks to neurology and botox) and now capable of performing Brhams's most difficult works. Fleisher is, along with Rudolf Serkin, the greatest Brahms player among Americans. Here he doesn't disappoint, in a reading of the Piano Quintet that's incredibly moving, full of mastery in every phrase.

At first I was worried that he wouldn't be a match for the strainless stel Emersons, but they adapt their style to his. In every way they are second to Fleisher's lead, and the microphone placement puts his every note front and center. Often that's a drawback, but here it's what I wanted to hear. The interpretation is more relaxed than the great one from Pollini and the Quartetto Italiano and more emotionally free than Gilels with the Amadeus Qt. (NOt to mention that the Emersons show more technical ability and polish than either ensemble.) Fleisher's touch isn't as rapid and scintillating as it was in youth, but he never drags or blurs the notes. He makes each movement one great expanse of song, and in my experience there has never been a performance to equal his. rahms's broad sweeps of lyric beauty simply take off.

Oh yes, and there are three string quartets in addition. I have never warmed to Brahms's quartet writing, much as I love his other chamber music. The Emersons play with their usual amazing unanimity, and they capture Brahms's full-scale romanticism without reserve. This isn't one of their attempts to redo a classic composer in modern style. As in the Quntet, DG's sonics are wonderful, giving us the best string sonority I've heard in a long time. I'll leave it to other reviewers to detail the individual performances here. For me, the glory of this set will always be Fleisher and his amazing autumnal rebirth.

Average customer rating:

pure genius
Another great Yo-Yo Disc
first disc great- second a flop
Encore
The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma

The Essential Yo-Yo Ma

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Appassionato
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
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Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon

ASIN: B000A7Q29G
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

Prde from Suite No. 1 in G Major for Cello, BWV 1007
II. Largo from "Winter", Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 from the Four Seasons
Jesus, bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring), BWV 147
Schafe kn sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze), BWV 208
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake), BWV 645
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Havanaise, Op. 83
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Liebesfreud Instrumental
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Vocalise Vocal
IV. Allegro from Sonata in D minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 40
Andante Cantabile for Cello Solo and String Orchestra, Op. posth.
IV. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto from Quartet No. 1 in G minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 25
III. Finale. Allegro moderato from Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104

Tracks:

Cristal
A lenda do caboclo
Chega de Saudade Live
Wapango Live
Libertango
Appalachia Waltz Solo Cello Version
Butterfly's Day Out
1B
Pickin' from Three Pieces for Solo Cello
Simple Gifts
The Mission
Gabriel's Oboe
The Falls Album Version
The Eternal Vow from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Cellist of Sarajevo - A Lament in Rondo Form for Solo 'Cello, Op. 12
Chi passa per'sta strada
Mido Mountain (Chinese Traditional)
Mohini (Enchantment)
Baroque in Rhythm from Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio
Anything Goes Instrumental
I Could Have Danced All Night Extended version

Amazon.com

Here are three dozen pieces of music, all played by Yo-Yo Ma, culled from his extensive discography. Aside from the technical mastery and beautiful tone that are absolutes in all of his playing, one is dazzled by his curiosity and ability to adapt to so many forms and types of music. His Bach and Vivaldi are pellucid and played with non-sentimental crispness, his tango music gritty and rhythmically pungent, his jazz seemingly spontaneous, the "Meditation" from Thais simply ravishing, "Anything Goes" a romp, and the Appalachian music performed with both respect and a great twang, while the traditional Chinese music is fascinating. It's really a matter of how much Ma loves whatever he plays here, how entirely he becomes involved in it, and what a fine partner he invariably is to other musicians. This collection is a doozy--it is truly "essential." --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

pure genius.......2007-05-21

No instrument asks more from the soul of an artist as the cello does.
Yo Yo Ma shows to be master of the instrument and his interpretations en technique are pure genius. Everyone should have this album in his (or hers of course) basic classical collection

Another great Yo-Yo Disc.......2007-05-15

The set-up with the classical pieces on the first disc and the other on the second is excellent.

first disc great- second a flop.......2007-04-12

the first disc is awesome. the second disc is weird and boring.

Encore.......2007-03-31

Incredible. My young cellist (son) loves it. Beautiful music. The album is well organized and each song transitions nicely.

The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma.......2007-03-29

I've found this collection to be extremely delightful! It gives you a sense of the versatility of Yo-Yo Ma like no other, with one disc being dedicated more to his classical side, while the other explores jazz and world music venues. Not your typical "greatest hits" collection.

Average customer rating:

Baby Einstein
I'm so glad I bought this cd, my son loves it!
Great Music

Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Buena Vista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics
Baby Einstein: Traveling Melodies
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ASIN: B000KEGDBQ
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Tracks:

Album Fur Die Jugend, Op.68, No.1, Melodie
Piano Sonata No.7, Menuetto
Piano Sonata Op.120, Movement 3 D664
String Quartet, No.13
Piano Concerto No.11, Adagio
Waldszenen, Op.82, No.1, Eintrit
Divertimento, K131, Movement 2
Symphony No.8, Op.88, Allegro
Sonata, K457, Adagio
Sonatina In G
Nocturne Op.32, No.1
Serenade, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K525, 2nd Movement
Waltz, Op.39, No.15
My Neighborhood
Ave Maria, Meditation On Bach Prelude BWV846,
Piano Concerto No.27, Larghetto
Silent Night
Hush Little Baby

Customer Reviews:

Baby Einstein.......2007-05-16

These are so good for the young kids in your family!!! I love all their products

I'm so glad I bought this cd, my son loves it!.......2007-03-20

I bought both of the Lullaby Classics. Sometimes I put them on during the day when my son is playing, it keeps him from becoming too hyper in the house and gives him a feeling of contentment. I also like the mood it gets him in before bedtime. He also loves the Barney cd's for more interactive, upbeat music. Music is really so important for children when they are small. You can see the difference it makes right away.

Great Music.......2007-03-08

We own several of the cds so we can have them in the babys room and in the car. They really help sooth our newborn. Love the Baby Einstein products!

Average customer rating:

Simply Gorgeous !

Adagio: A Windham Hill Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000089YAX
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Tracks:

Air 'On The String' - Philippe Saisse
Ave Maria - Paul McCandless
Arioso - Tracy Silverman
Nocturne - Steve Erquiaga
Sarabande - Paul Schwartz
Intermezzo No.6 - David Benoit
Adagio - Brian Dunning
Adagio - Patrick O'Hearn
Prelude In C-Sharp Minor - Edgar Meyer
Adagio - Richard Schonherz
Adagio For Strings - Philip Aaberg
Largo - Tim Story

Amazon.com

Adagio follows in the rosin-dusted footsteps of The Impressionists, A Different Mozart, and A Different Prelude. As with those releases, it was produced by Dawn Atkinson and features many of the same artists. The results are as varied as the musicians. Violinist Tracy Silverman cuts one of his patented echo-delayed pizzicato violin arrangements of a Bach arioso, while Patrick O'Hearn drapes a somber keyboard shroud around the Adagio from Rodrigo's Fantasy for a Gentleman. Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning find the Celtic air in the Adagio from Handel's Sonata in G, while Philip Aaberg discovers infinity between the notes of Barber's ubiquitous Adagio for Strings. He stretches the melody across his piano in finely drawn lines, subtlety filled out with synthesizer undertones. Subtlety is a casualty on Philipe Saisse's bongos, bells, and synth arrangement of Bach's Air on a G String. It's also sacrificed in a corny confection of Handel's Sarabande by Paul Schwartz. His ham-fisted electronic keyboards would've sounded dated even before Switched-On Bach. But Adagio features plenty of musicians who are willing to surrender themselves to their elegiac themes, including guitarist Steve Erquiaga, Mike Marshall, and Edgar Meyers. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Simply Gorgeous !.......2003-10-05

This is the first Windham Hill compilation I've purchased in a long, long time, and I am thrilled with the music.
The artistry is stunning, the artists bring themselves to the music while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the original piece.
My favorite is Grieg's Nocturne, arranged and performed by Steve Erquiaga. I have been in love with his music from the moment
I heard his CD "Cafe Paradiso" (Imaginary road Records). It is absolutely stunning!
When I saw that he was on "Adagio" I went for it. I'm so happy that I did ...
Other hightlights for me are Philip Aaberg's "Adagio for Strings", Tracy Silverman's "Arioso" ..... they're all beautiful.
Thank You for this wonderful music.

Average customer rating:

New Yo-Yo Fan
Simply wonderful!
Awesome
What is this?
Great if you're not familiar with Yo-Yo Ma

Classic Yo-Yo

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005OAY5
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Tracks:

Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major
Prelude
Fear Tango
Butterfly's Day Out
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor, Op.72
Three Preludes
Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
American Collection Theme
Sonata for Cello and Piano in F Major, Op. 99
IV. Allegro molto
The Eternal Vow from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Erbarme dich (Matthdus-Passion)
Quartet for Piano & Strings No. 2 in G minor, Op. 45
IV. Allegro molto
Vocalise
Libertango
Simple Gifts
Appalachia Waltz

Amazon.com

Except for one "previously unreleased" recording and two new ones, this is a compilation of segments taken from older Yo-Yo Ma CDs, perhaps to whet listeners' appetite to hear the entire records. The disc represents a triumph of performance over material. The program consists of short pieces and single movements of long ones and serves to display Yo-Yo Ma's extraordinary versatility, his spectacular instrumental and musical gifts, and his remarkable ability to invest everything he plays with the same commitment and emotional concentration. There is no logic to the sequence, except that it begins and ends with solo cello. Bach, whom Ma plays tuned normally when unaccompanied and tuned low with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, may justify the CD's title but seems out of place. Moreover, juxtaposing him with O'Connor and Piazzolla is jarring, though the Tangos are beautiful. The transcription of Dvorák's lovely E-minor Slavonic Dance, despite the participation of violinist Itzhak Perlman and his golden tone, sounds like a movie soundtrack: all bravura and cheap effects. The playing's the thing, and it is stunning, not only Yo-Yo Ma's, but that of all his collaborators, from vocalists Bobby McFerrin and Alison Krauss to pianist Emanuel Ax, Ma's duo partner of 25 years. Ax joins Ma for the Finale of Brahms's second cello sonata; that is what you may find yourself humming at the end. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

New Yo-Yo Fan.......2006-07-09

I had never listened to Yo-Yo Ma before (that I knew of) and then I was at a dance recital a few months ago. Two little ballerinas danced to "Simple Gifts" with Alison Kraus, and I had to have that song. I really enjoy playing this album when my family is just hanging out reading or playing with the baby in the living room. Each piece is unique and beautiful in its own way. Simple Gifts is still my favorite piece on the album, I only wish it were longer!

Simply wonderful!.......2006-06-04

I recently got this CD as a birthday gift. I've been wanting this CD for a while. The first track is a wonderful song in all reality the entire CD is a wonderful experience. The prelude by Gershwin is unique sounding with the cello. The jazz quality is still there and has a bit of classical influence intertwined among it. Yo-Yo Ma's recording of Simple Gifts is a good song and when they had the lyrics sung by Alison Krauss it was a wonderful choice. Her vocals matched the cello incredibly well. Track 8 is a wonderful song that I love to hear being played on the cello. For any person who loves classical music or cello music this CD is a good choice to buy. It will be well worth your money.

Awesome.......2004-08-20

While most people on this site see the "classic" in the title of the album as referring to classical music only, they are mistaken. Classic Yo-Yo refers to his style, not the genre into which his music choices fall. The list of tracks alone should have been a big enough clue that the music isn't all classical. Judging this album, or any album for that matter, on just its title is simply foolish. And while this is technically a solo album, the way Yo-Yo brings in guest artists to perform with him shows his flexibility as an artist. His version of Simple Gifts is so much more than a school chorus; it is an amazing cellist playing the accompaniment on a song that is meant to be sung.

On a more positive note, I found every track beautiful, from the elegant solo cello in the Bach cello suite to the haunting vocal line in the Bobby McFerrin piece. Yo-Yo Ma gathered a wide range of intriguing pieces to make this fantastic album.

What is this?.......2004-02-10

This is a compilation of many different styles; look Yo-Yo can play bluegrass! Not really "Classic" Yo-Yo.

Great if you're not familiar with Yo-Yo Ma.......2002-12-27

This CD is a good sample of what yo-yo ma has acheived in his musical career, if you want a more in depth listening of his talents than I suggest getting the simply baroque CD. The only thing that I didn't like about this cd was that the compositions were to mixed up in the genres. There was a bit of classical, some movie works, a great song by John Williams, and some of The Tango series music. If you would rather listen to one genre, get a CD that just has Classical or Contemerary, don't get a jack of all trades cd.

Average customer rating:

great musicians
An older recording, but still amazing
great recording
Very good!
stirring!

Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000041EI
Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 1. Allegro - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 2. Intermezzo. Allegro ma non troppo - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 3. Andante con moto - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 4. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: 1. Allegro ma non troppo - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: 2. Scherzo. Allegro - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: 3. Andante - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: Finale. Allegro - J. Brahms

Tracks:

Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 1. Allegro non troppo - Brahms
Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 2. Poco adagio - Brahms
Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 3. Scherzo. Poco allegro - Brahms
Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 4. Finale. Allegro - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 1. Moderato - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 2. Vivace - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 3. Lento - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 4. Presto - Brahms

Customer Reviews:

great musicians.......2005-10-09

These are dense pieces and like a lot of Brahms could become overly heavy and plodding in the wrong hands. On this CD the Beaux Arts really bring out the romantic lyrical quality of this music unfailingly. The recording itself is just a hair distant but the detail is good. What fantastic piano one finds on these CDs! Strongly recommended.

An older recording, but still amazing.......2002-06-23

This collection of Brahms' piano quartets are a great listen all around. Every quartet has an enormous power and beauty to it.

I like to say about Brahms' music that it is airtight. There is never a wasted note. Every bit of melody, every nuance and texture in the harmony are masterfully crafted and serve a purpose. There is never a moment when you look at your watch and wonder when the composer is going to get around to wrapping this or that section up and get to the exciting stuff.

The Beaux Arts Trio along with Walter Trampler do a commendable job of bringing every moment of beauty and excitement out. They balance the sweetness of the slow movements and melodies well with the aggression and rhythmic complexities of the quicker movements. My current favorite quartet is the A Major. There is a singable melody or rhythmic puzzle in every movement. I listened to the final movement four times today (excessive I know, but it's just so much fun to try to figure out how Brahms manipulates those melodies within the time signatures)!

great recording.......2002-05-17

This is chamber music at its best played by the masters, the Beaux Arts Trio. All the pieces are played in a crisp, clean manner with the proper emotion and phrasing.

Very good!.......2001-04-01

I am an avid Brahms fan and just recently picked up this copy of the quartets. I love them! The rondo of the first quartet is fascinating and the pain in the C minor trio is unmistakable. As traditional as Brahms is, he is a definate romantic. I agree [...] about the last trio that is attributed to him. It isn't as good by far. The sound is very clear and the pianist on the recordings impressed me. If you don't own the quartets, go ahead and buy this set. You won't be dissapointed!

stirring!.......2000-01-10

I have only recently begun to love Brahms and these recordings make me question why it's taken so long! The music is incredibly rich and colorful, especially the C minor, Werther's Ballad, which you can just feel Brahms pain at losing his friend Robert Schumann! The Beaux Arts Trio is a sure winner! You will enjoy this!

Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets

Average customer rating:

Very Good, but beware technical problems
This is how all Brahms should be played!
Mastery and joy
9 CDs with THE AMADEUS: WHAT A BARGAN!
Exquisite music performed with exquisite artistry

Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets
Karl Leister , Johannes Brahms , Christoph Eschenbach , Cecil Aronowitz , Norbert Brainin , Siegmund Nissel , and Amadeus Quartet
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Schubert: The String Quartets
Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Emerson String Quartet
Beethoven: The String Quartets
Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets

ASIN: B00008RWRG
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Customer Reviews:

Very Good, but beware technical problems.......2007-05-26

Overall, I really enjoy these pieces. The playing is good, and the sound is quite live, which I enjoy. My favorite piece is the Quintet in G Major Op.111, though the sextet in Bb is a close second. I am a perfectionist, and my familiarity with these pieces led me to be a little dissapointed, which is why there is only 4 stars. My dissapointment stems from two facts:
1. In the first movement of the Brahms G Major Op.111, the string quintet elects not to take the repeat in m.56, so you will never hear the first ending on this recording and thus only get one shot at the awesome cello opening. I haven't listened closely enough to the other pieces on this set to discern if they avoided other repeats or not, but for the most part, they appear to be there.

2. There are technical printing problems. Though the recording is so live that you can hear the breath of the musicians and their fingers fall on the strings, there are some actual technical pops in the recording. Perhaps it was a transfer problem from analog to digital, as the recordings are old. Most of these pops are minor, but they are dissapointing for an audiophile such as myself. My CDs are pristine (no scratches at all), and even the first time playing them these pops were there. So, here's the list of what I've found thus far:

CD 3:
Track 6: Pops & clicks at 1:19 & 1:22.

CD 5:
Track 1: Pops at 6:01.
Track 2: Pops & clicks at 0:13, 3:56, & 6:16.
Track 5: Pop at 12:07.
Track 7: Pop & clicks at 6:11, 7:45, 7:51-7:52 (these are quite noticable), 7:59, 8:03, 8:11.
Track 8: Pop at 7:34.

It is a well-played set; hopefully they will get the printing correct on the next batch.

This is how all Brahms should be played!.......2007-02-14

There isn't much to say about this set, but I'll say what there is to say: These players play the Brahms chamber music here with such emotion, musical understanding, and overall perfection that this set should be made into a must for all Brahms chamber music lovers. The Amadeus quartet, along with all of the other performers, including Eschenbach on the piano and Leister on the clarinet, really know what they're doing and play it so beautifully that the listener will want to hear the pieces again and again until the CD player is practically worn out. These Brahms works are some of the most sublime works of the later 19th century. For such quality music and great sound, especially for having been recorded in the 1960's, the price is also great. I recommend this set very highly, and hope you decide to get and enjoy it as much as I do.

Mastery and joy.......2006-12-12

Because they lasted such a long time and toward the end didn't play at their best, I found reasons to overlook the Madeus Qt. But in this 9-CD set of the complete chamber music of Brahms, there are some sublime performances--I would especially point to both String Sextets, for example. In every instance the style of the Amadeus is full of vibrancy and joy, and their ensemble isn't baased on technical perfection but rather a kinship of musical taste and feeling (this puts them poles apart from the Emerson Qt., for me at least). I also love the Brahms chamber performances on Sony with Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern, emanuel Ax, and friends, but this DG set is altogether sweeter and more lyrical.

Since Amazon neglects to list the additional players who join the Amadeus for the works that aren't soely for a string quartet, here's the run-down from Tower:

1. Quartet for Strings no 1 in C minor, Op. 51 no 1
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet

2. Quartet for Strings no 2 in A minor, Op. 51 no 2
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet

3. Quartet for Strings no 3 in B flat major, Op. 67
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet

4. Quintet for Piano and Strings in F minor, Op. 34
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Eschenbach, Christoph

5. Quintet for Strings no 1 in F major, Op. 88
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil

6. Quintet for Strings no 2 in G major, Op. 111
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil

7. Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in A minor, Op. 114
Performer: Leister, Karl; Eschenbach, Christoph; Donderer, Georg

8. Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in B minor, Op. 115
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Leister, Karl

9. Sextet for Strings no 1 in B flat major, Op. 18
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil; Pleeth, William

10. Sextet for Strings no 2 in G major, Op. 36
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil; Pleeth, William

9 CDs with THE AMADEUS: WHAT A BARGAN!.......2005-10-04

This is a really nice set at a bargan price.

Exquisite music performed with exquisite artistry.......2005-05-20

All the passion, majesty, pathos, and soul of his symphonies is in these 10 works of chamber music by Brahms:

3 string quartets;
2 string quintets;
2 string sextets;
a quintet for piano, 2 violins, viola, and violoncello;
a trio for piano, clarinet, and violoncello;
and a quintet for clarinet, 2 violins, viola, and violoncello.

All this wealth of extraordinary music is in a 5 CD set, performed by one of the finest chamber music ensembles in the world, with the added artistry of Christoph Eschenbach (piano), Cecil Aronowitz (viola), and Karl Leister (clarinet).

One CD is 50' 36 in length, 2 are in the low 60's, and 2 are in the low 70's.

I have an inexpensive CD player, but this music emerges from it with the sharpness of etched glass, the smoothness of warmed honey, and the softness of rivers of silver in moonlight.

This is music to celebrate the joy and the pathos of life, played with soul, sensitivity, and power. Buy it and treasure this gift to yourself.

Average customer rating:

So I'm just learning violin...
Joshua Bell...

The Essential Joshua Bell

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Voice of the Violin
Romance of the Violin
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Joshua Bell - Gershwin Fantasy
Violin Favourites & Virtuoso Showpieces

ASIN: B000A8AXUY
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Sicilienne
II. Adagio
IV. Allegro Quasi Presto
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace
Caprice Viennois
Toy-Soldiers March
Waves At Play - Samuel Sanders
II. Andante Assai
Spanish Dance - Samuel Sanders
Nigun (Improvisation)
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20

Customer Reviews:

So I'm just learning violin..........2006-09-21

and I can not play like Joshua Bell. For this, he better consider himself damn lucky as the world could not handle two of us Joshua Bells.

This was my first exposure to this phenom. Sorry, I had never heard of him until I got my first issue of STRINGS magazine and he was on the cover. My wife liked the cover and wanted to know if I got better would I not only sound like him but would I also look like him? I guess we'll never know how that will actually turn out. Safe to say, I'll end up not looking like him as I can never be quite as good as him. Again, damn lucky for Josh as I don't think the world could handle two of us.

This disc is an absolute gem not only for the Joshua Bell and violin fan, but the arrangements and the sound quality is superb. What this disc made me realize is that there are truly only a few out there that have complete and total control of their craft. It also made me decide that I would like to perhaps pick up a few more Joshua Bell recordings. For my wife, I guess I'll just duplicate them and give the copies to her in a blank cd case. I can tell her it's me playing. That ought to heat things up!

Joshua Bell..........2005-12-05

This CD is a wonderful CD to see how Joshua Bell interprets some of the standard repertory of violinists of this century. The only thing I was dissapointed in slightly was that it included music from other CD's already produced by Bell, but otherwise, a wonderful gift for someone who has never heard Bell before.

More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe

Average customer rating:

Better than most
Wonderful Music

More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe
Ludwig van Beethoven , Eugene-Auguste Ysaye , Johann Sebastian Bach , Jean Sibelius , Sergey Prokofiev , Jules Massenet , Anonymous , Fryderyk Chopin , Giacomo Puccini , Robert Schumann , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Kazuo Yamada , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Carl Maria von Weber , Enrique Granados , Gustav Holst , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
Most Relaxing Classical Piano Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B0000AINLR
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto #2, Adagio
VERDI Preludio
PAGANINI "Introduzione e tema con variazioni"
BRAHMS Sonata for two pianos, Andante
MOZART Adagio in E Major
BEETHOVEN "Pathetique" Sonata, Adagio
YSAYE Sonate #2, "Malinconia"
BACH Prelude #22, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
VERDI "Quando le sere al placido" (When the Evening Becomes Peaceful)
BACH Orchestral Suite #2
SIBELIUS The Swan of Tuonela
PROKOFIEV Romeo and Juliet
MASSENET Meditation from "Tha
RACHMANINOFF Prelude

Tracks:

TRADITIONAL Catalonian Folk Song
CHOPIN Piano Concerto #1, Larghetto
PUCCINI "Crisantemi" (Chrysanthemums)
SCHUMANN "Traumerei" (Dreaming)
TCHAIKOVSKY Swan Lake (excerpt)
K. YAMADA ''Chugoku-Chiho No Komoriuta" Lullaby
DEBUSSY "En Bateau" (By Boat)
BEETHOVEN Symphony #6 "Pastoral", Andante
MENDELSSOHN Songs Without Words
WEBER Introduction, theme and variations
GRANADOS "Goyescas" (Sketches on the works of Goya)
TCHAIKOVSKY Nocturne in F
HOLST The Planets, "Neptune"

Customer Reviews:

Better than most.......2007-02-08

This is a good mixture of elevator music, and some soft relaxing melodies.

Wonderful Music.......2007-01-18

Wonderful music for your listening pleasure. Very relaxing and soothing. Nothing beats classical music.

Brahms at Bedtime: A Sleepytime Serenade

Average customer rating:

pre bedtime music
Great For Bedtime
A true disappointment
Naptime
A good choice for quiet time and nap.

Brahms at Bedtime: A Sleepytime Serenade

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night
Beethoven at Bedtime: A Gentle Prelude to Sleep
Mozart for Meditation
Mozart at Midnight
Debussy for Daydreaming: Music to Caress Your Innermost Thoughts

ASIN: B0000041FU
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Lullaby
Piano Concerto In B-Flat - Piu adagio
Violin Concerto In D - Adagio
'Double' Concerto In A Minor - Andante
Clarinet Quintet In B Minor - Adagio
Piano Quartet In C Minor - Andante
As Melodies Were Passing By
Sonata In D Minor - Adagio
Trio In C Minor - Andante grazioso (Excerpt): Piano Trio In C Minor - Andante grazioso (Excerpt)
Intermezzo No. 1 In E-Flat
Fantasy No. 4 In E
Variations & Fugue On A Theme By Handel - Variation V
Waltz No. 15 In A-Flat
Lullaby: Lullaby (Reprise)

Customer Reviews:

pre bedtime music.......2007-05-30

Great music for helping you unwind after a long day so you can be more relaxed at bedtime.

Great For Bedtime.......2005-12-15

A few years ago I started having trouble sleeping at night. It was probably due to my new husband's snoring! I remembered how when I worked at a daycare, we would play classical music while the children took naps. So I thought I would give it a try. I have tried a couple different CD's and so far this is my favorite! All of the music is soothing. There aren't any songs that get loud or fast. The only weird thing is that the first and last song are the same. I repeat the CD all night and it really does help me to sleep! If the power goes out I notice immediately because my soothing music is gone! I highly recommend this CD!

A true disappointment.......2004-11-04

Amazingly this compilation has managed to get together some of the most untallented performances of Brahms' music. With a few exceptions the moto of this CD can be summed up as 'no understanding and appreciation for a musical genius'. The choice of music is also quite perfunctory. There are many Brahms pieces that could have served better the bedtime purpose. Buy at your own risk. My only fear is that some people will get their first impressions of Brahms from this CD...

Naptime.......2003-04-18

I love to listen to this cd if I'm tired and need to take a nap or just rest for a while. It is very soothing.

A good choice for quiet time and nap........2000-09-27

This is one of my favorite nap and quiet time choices. It is very mellow and soothing. My three year old frequently falls asleep listening to it, and even turns it on again for herself if she wakes up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep!

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Hi-Fi Sounds for Young Norwegians

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Sky Volume 3