Frieder Bernius and the
Kammerchor Stuttgart's disc of 12 vocal quartets by Brahms recorded back in 1983 and re-released here in 2007 on Hänssler is lovely. Listeners looking for something along the lines of the Liebeslieder Waltzer will be thrilled to discover these works and these performances. The music comes from every period in the composer's career, and from start to finish, the monumental is banished and only intimate charms are welcomed. Each quartet sets a secular text, most of them on such romantic subjects as night, autumn, longing, and, of course, love, and each performance tops the one before for sheer beauty. Though the sopranos and tenors sometimes bump against the upper limits of their ranges, the warmth and blend of the choir's sound more than makes up for it.
Bernius leads polished but very expressive performances that make the most of Brahms' yearning melodies and nostalgic harmonies. With the adept accompaniment of pianist
Andreas Rothkopf, this disc will make a fine addition to any collection of Brahms' choral music, though it must be added that the sound here is shallow and not especially flattering to the performers.