Mozart — Requiem — Herbert von Karajan

★★★★★

   The story of one significant element can be nice perspective to see the whole. The same way performing Mozart’s Requiem and positioning this work in public memory can be interesting survey into dynamics of the western culture of last two centuries. This legendary work was performed as classic position with developing knowledge on how it should be executed to find most effective proportions or reinterpreted to find what we have lost from original Mozart’s idea and what just part of performing tradition is. Some information on next generations’ attitude against classicism can be traced by analyzing various attempts of completing the full cycle of this funeral mass. Phonographic recordings technology delivered many records being plentiful source for such research, but its accessibility changed the rate of cultural transformations.
   In the fast growing market of classical recordings in late fifties and early sixties basic works were recorded by many orchestras creating the catalogue of most expected monuments of music history. Mozart’s Requiem was one of most popular works every label ought to have in print. In catalogues of most active record companies there were more than one recordings of this popular work. One of famous renditions was published by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in 1962 and was signed by one of most active artists of this time, Herbert von Karajan. This is also one of most milestones in the career of the conductor. Recording session of Mozart’s Requiem took place in 1961. Herbert von Karajan conducted Berliner Philharmoniker, the orchestra he was leading from 1954 and Wiener Singverein working under direction of Reinhold Schmid. Soloists were soprano Wilma Lipp, alto Hilde Rössel-Majdan, tenor Anton Dermota and bass Walter Berry. Organ parts were played by Wolfgang Meyer.

Herbert von Karajan — Mozart — Requiem (1962, reissue 1977) 

   Recording Requiem with Berliner Philharmoniker Karajan had already huge experience leading most demanding works. He was famous for his interpretations of large-scale works including groundbreaking performances of Richard Wagner’s operas at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. In his early fifties he was one of most recognizable European conductors but it was his recordings in next decades what made him one of the greatest conductors ever recorded. In Requiem recorded for DGG he created vision of most romantic, dark reading of Mozart’s missa pro defunctis. Fragments finishing this work set by Franz Xaver Süssmayr are repeating musical material from those composed by Mozart. This makes the work more cohesive but also makes its cyclic construction less ranging. The most common way of challenging this deficiency was to reduce emotions to the level referenced to absolute forms of classical era. But this was also the way to skip all composer’s ideas and aspirations. Good conductors were always trying to conciliate elements of the cycle by bringing them together and differentiating as contrasting parts of the cycle. Herbert von Karajan made it in most exquisite manner, balancing elements of this work architecture to achieve effect of perfect classical form, but at the same time creating great amount of formal energy by enhancing powerful contrasts and creating solemn, grave mood with perfectly matched tempos.
   Few years ago I’ve led the cycle of lectures as part of master class for graduates of musical universities. As one of subjects of the history of musical culture course was lecture about history of performing and interpretative priorities traced on basis of recorded music. I’ve analyzed eight various performances of Mozart’s Requiem fragments. I chose only really best ones. And as an experiment, choosing fragments not shown during analysis, I have asked listeners which performance is closest to their idea of Mozart’s work. More than 80% of the group pointed Karajan’s recording as the most appropriate performance of Requiem. I’ve been repeating this experiment with various sets of performances in next year’s few times, always with the same result – Karajan’s 1961 recording in some groups was chosen unanimously. New esthetic trends are highly appreciated, but talking about one definitive rendition listeners still choose most traditional, solemn and profound performance ever. It says by itself. This version is already the element of cultural heritage. The only appropriate rate is five stars.

Herbert von Karajan – Brahms – Ein Deutsches Requiem

   Johannes Brahms was one of most prominent personalities in romantic music. His position was build on the idea of three great B’s – Bach, Beethoven and Brahms – presumption deeply correlated with nineteenth century theoretic understanding of formal values in musical construction. And Brahms was number one composer who can melt some romantic ideas with creating complex musical constructions in Beethoven’s manner. It’s not sure if he was truly satisfied composing symphonic music. Four symphonies, three concertos, two overtures even if every one is great work, is not too much considering 64 years of composers life. However the symphonic compositions was the part of his work that made his fame and creative image, and among his great works every one fully deserves for its special place.
   One that’s very special is requiem based on texts from Lutheran Bible. The full title of the work is Ein deutsches Requiem, nach Worten der heiligen Schrift op. 45 (A German Requiem, To Words of the Holy Scriptures). The text has been edited by composer and is opposed to the traditional requiem based on roman catholic mass order. Words had been taken from some fragments from Old and much more  from New Testament. Sometimes he assembled very short fragments. Ein Deutsches Requiem is focusing on those who are living in sadness and this strongly difference between this setup and traditional requiem masses. Brahms started composing this work in 1965 after death of his mother and finish the whole composition in 1868. This seven-movement work composed for soprano, baritone, mixed chorus and orchestra German Requiem with more than an hour time of duration is longest composition by Brahms.

Herbert von Karajan – Brahms – Ein Deutsches Requiem (1964)

   Herbert von Karajan recorded Brahms’ Requiem at least five times. First time he recorded in October 1947 legendary performance with soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, baritone Hans Hotter, chor of Singverein Der Gesellschaft Der Musikfreunde Wien and Wiener Philharmoniker orchestra. Then in 1964 for Deutsche Grammophon with baritone Eberhard Waechter, soprano Gundula Janowitz, Wiener Singverein choir and Berliner Philharmoniker orchestra. This recording was also published in 7 LP box with complete Brahms Symphonies and Violin Concerto with Christian Ferras. Third recording has been made twelve years later, in 1976 for EMI with the same choir and orchestra and with different soloists – soprano Anna Tomowa-Sintow and baritone José van Dam. Fourth recording was digital and was recorded with the same chorus but with Wiener Philharmoniker orchestra and with soprano Barbara Hendricks and with baritone José van Dam. There was also video recording of Deutsches Requiem with Kathleen Battle and José van Dam published in 1984 by Sony.
   Herbert von Karajan belongs to the greatest conductors who needed a large-scale works, big performing sets and challenging interpretations to be fully recognized as the great masters. He was equally efficient conducting symphonies, concertos, oratorios and operas. No wonder he is remembered mainly as the conductor of huge attainments of romantic music. One of his most challenging works was Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem. Maybe this is reason he recorded this work so many times. It’s interesting he always recorded with the same choir of Wiener Singverein. Brahms Requiem is work of extremely high demands on the performers and choir is privileged in various ways. And this choir sounds unbelievable firmly and rich. The 1964 DGG recording has been priced by Grand prix du disque award in Paris.
   In Karajan’s renditions Deutsches Requiem takes 65-75 minutes and perfectly matches CD capacity, but on traditional vinyl records it usually took three standard sides. Thus for Brahms’ Requiem vinyl editions publishers added extra compositions on 4th side of double LP album. On Karajan’s DGG album such bonus work was Variationen über ein Thema von Haydn op. 56a, and on EMI album newly recorded Variationen and Tragishe ouverture. Although the choice of Variations is quite good thanks to its solemn character and soothing emotional distance, I still advise not to listening this two works together. Karajan’s performance of Deutsches Requiem is so much closed, so perfectly follows the idea of the work, it should be listened standalone.