This charming disc presents a comprehensive selection of Brahms's secular choral music. Through his professional activities, Brahms had a continuous interest in producing music for choirs, as well as profound insight into their capabilities. His impressive output of a cappella sacred choruses and motets makes learned and creative reference to such Baroque masters as Gabrieli, Schutz and Bach. Yet Brahms was equally adept in the traditions of the unaccompanied Romantic choral song, the Chorlied, following the lead of Schubert, Mendelssohn and Schumann, and adapting the form to his own characteristic ends. He also wrote a large number of vocal duets and quartets with piano accompaniment, including the popular Zigeunerlieder, which are testimony to his extraordinary fascination for gypsy music and its fertilizing effect on his style.

Songlist: Sechs Lieder und Romanzen, Drei Quartette, Funf Gesange, Zigeunerlieder, Dem Dunkeln Schoss der Heil'gen Erde

The German-born Brahms (1833-1897) is considered one of the greatest Romantic composers, while the Danish National Radio Choir (Stefan Parkman, Chief Conductor) is one of the most respected European Choirs performing today. Their pure yet robust sound is a fine complement to the mastery of form that Brahms' works display. Indeed, one of the distinguishing characteristics of his style was his fascination with the contrapuntal forms so often identified with the Baroque and pre-Baroque era: canon, motet, fugue, and the variations thereof. It was accepted at that time to use a folk song or other well-known melody as the basis for the composer's own originality, which was demonstrated through his technical facility and manipulation of accepted idioms. A series of "Marienlieder" comprise a third of the recording, along with seven motets and three compositions commissioned for the Hamburg Industrial Exhibition of 1889. A recording of excellent virtue.

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

The best known choral piece by Brahms is his German Requiem. Since his teenage years he was involved with choral groups and continued to work with them throughout his life. He wrote numerous songs for a cappella ensembles as well as with accompaniment. The most familiar of these pieces is the Zigeunerlieder, op. 103. These Gypsy songs are usually performed by a soloist and piano, but were originally written for a quartet. This phenomenal recording by the Danish National Radio Choir highlights some of Brahms' work in the choral genre.

Songlist: Drei Gesange, Op. 42, Funf Gesange, Op. 104, Vier Gesange, Op. 17, Sechs Quartette, Op. 112, Zigeunerlieder, Op. 103

This collection opens with a group of four songs scored for three-part women's chorus and the unusual combination of two horns and harp. They are settings of an interesting spread of poems including one by Ossian and the Clown's song from the thrid act of Twelfth Night. Other items include Three Songs Op. 42, Two Motets, Op. 29 and, to finish with, one of the songs from Brahms much loved "Neue Liebeslieder Waltzes", Op. 65.

Songlist: Four Songs for Women's Chorus, 2 Horns and Harp, Op. 17, Three Songs, Op. 42, Four Quartet, Op.92, Two Motets, Op. 29, Op. 112, Nos. 1 and 2, Five Songs, Op. 104, Neue Liebeslieder, Walzer, Op. 65, No. 15