BERLIN PHILHARMONIC SIR SIMON RATTLE, COND.
Brahms’s ‘German Requiem’

The Berlin Philharmonic and its music director, Sir Simon Rattle, have been churning out CDs (for EMI Classics). Their latest is done with the Radio Chorus of Berlin, and it brings us a holy masterpiece: the “German Requiem” of Brahms. Richard Osborne has a beautiful, and true, sentence in his liner notes: “Less a requiem for the dead, it is more an act of consolation for the bereaved.”

Sir Simon and his forces recorded this work in a series of concerts last October. In other words, the recording was put together from these performances, some bits taken from this night, some bits taken from that night. This is a form of “live recording.”

In the first of the Requiem’s seven sections, Sir Simon is slow, sensitive, and considered. He is also a little languid, plodding, and limp. More spine would be beneficial, and so would more body and strength. The same holds true for (most of) the rest of the Requiem.

Some might appreciate this recording as tranquil and expansive. I would call it sleepy, formless — borderline indifferent. And I’m afraid I found the recording dull, which is, of course, different from consoling. I could not detect much spiritual intensity or depth, either. It is all a bit easy-listening.

The Requiem calls for two soloists, and Sir Simon has two of the best: Thomas Quasthoff, bassbaritone, and Dorothea Röschmann, soprano. In the great “Herr, lehre doch mich,” Mr. Quasthoff is infected by Sir Simon’s plodding quality. But he intones the music magnificently, and sings with conviction — also with a German that makes you pay attention. In “Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit,” Sir Simon imposes a quite slow tempo, and Ms. Röschmann must deal with it. But she sings with radiance and strength — a lucky combination.

Admirers of this recording will be understood — different strokes, etc. — but even they won’t want to throw away their Otto Klemperer or their Bruno Walter. And I will take the opportunity to recommend Walter’s recording with the New York Philharmonic (and George London and Irmgard Seefried). You’ll find that one on Sony Classics.

Incidentally, Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic will perform at Salzburg’s Easter Festival starting next Saturday. Watch for reports in these pages.

DENG & THIBAUDET
Music of Claus Ogermann

Jean-Yves Thibaudet is an adventurous pianist, playing Dohnányi one minute, Ellington the next. He has recorded adventurously, too. Last month, I reviewed his new CD of opera transcriptions (on Decca). He has another new CD, made with the violinist Yue Deng (same label). This one consists of music by Claus Ogermann, a German composer born in 1930. Mr. Thibaudet is the type to play music simply because he likes it — imagine that.

Mr. Ogermann spent the first half of his career in film and jazz. He worked with many big names, not excluding Frank Sinatra, João Gilberto, and Barbra Streisand. He then turned his attention to what we call classical music (for lack of a better term). Glenn Gould is reported to have been a fan. (There was another pianist who played, and recorded, what he liked.) Mr. Ogermann reminds me somewhat of another all-media composer: Argentina’s Lalo Schifrin.

The new CD features four violinand-piano works, not dissimilar in character. They are sort of dissonant, sort of not; sort of jazzy, sort of not — hard to pin down. There is a touch of Burt Bacharach in this music, and a touch of Max Reger, too. (The liner notes inform us that Reger is one of Mr. Ogermann’s favorites.) The composer obviously knows his Baroque, working in polyphony.

Yue Deng plays sensitively and soulfully, following Mr. Ogermann’s contours. She sings her way beautifully through these pieces — and her partner is a famously singing-minded pianist. Both musicians administer tender loving care.

I found that this music grew on me, and you might find the same. It goes down easy (which I do not mean as a disparagement). This CD will probably not be a big seller, but how nice, for everybody, that it got made.

BORIS CHRISTOFF
‘Russian Romances and Folk Songs’

Finally, consider a blast from the past: Deutsche Grammophon has brought out on CD Boris Christoff’s 1977 LP of Russian songs. The late, great bass is accompanied by a balalaika orchestra.

For many, Christoff (1914–1993) was the voice of Russia. But he was actually a Bulgarian, one of several leading singers from that land. He made a magnificent sound, and penetrated to the heart of the music he sang. You can talk forever about “the Russian soul” (and people do); I believe you can hear some of it in Christoff’s singing.

The 12 songs on this CD may bring a tear to Russian eyes, and non-Russian ears may love them, too.