(Source: Sing Tao Global Network)

"An unaccommodating era now envelopes the world. It is we who created this era, and we who have become victims of the era. Let Britain What's wrong with being a hammer and being an anvil? The important thing is to let violence dominate and not to let the servile and disobedient Christians gain the upper hand. If victory, fairness, and happiness are not designed for Germany, then let others prevail. Let the country enjoy it. Let heaven exist, even if we go to hell."

This passage is excerpted from Borges's "Deutsche Requiem", a work based on Brahm. A micro-novel named after Si's work of the same name. There is a lot of controversy about the correct translation of this work. Many people insist that it should be translated as "A German Requiem". According to the current German title, this translation is the most correct.

Unlike other composers, Brahms did not adopt the fixed requiem program and lyrics of the Catholic Church. Instead, he excerpted some verses from Martin Luther's German version of the Bible. , which forms the entire libretto of this Requiem and is sung in German, as can be seen from the title. As such, it differs from other requiems, which makes clear its different status in religious belief. Brahms began composing this work in 1857. According to his usual tendency of working slowly and carefully, it was not until 1868 that all seven chapters were completed. Brahms' motives in creating such a work may not be pure.

This date in 1857 may be more sensitive, because a year ago, Robert Schumann, Brahms's mentor and mentor in his creative career, passed away, thus leaving behind Brahms who had a crush on Clara. Ramsay struggled with this throughout his life.

In 1865, Brahms’ mother passed away, which is also one of the creative motives identified by many people. But in fact, on the anniversary of Schumann's death in 1863, Brahms had already proposed to stage this unfinished work. However, Brahms did not mention in his letter that this work was specially created for Schumann, but called it a "friendly" work that was very suitable for Schumann's personality.

In fact, Brahms' "German Requiem" is not an isolated creation in the history of music, and this genre is not his personal original creation.

In his previous history, Schutz, Praetorius, Thomas Thaler, Michael Haydn, Schubert and Miller can be listed, etc. "German Requiem" composed by them. Without exception, passages from the Lutheran Bible were chosen as lyrics.

After Brahms, John Fold and Benjamin Britten also composed "Requiem" in unconventional Latin. Some composers simply used non-religious poetry as the basis, such as Eisler's "Lenin Requiem" and Tafner's "Celtic Requiem". Just as the Lutherans originally translated the Bible into German, secular and non-ritual musical tendencies are evident in this type of work. Brahms's "Requiem" is also not a piece of religious liturgical music, but a purely intimate ode to humanity.

Therefore, unlike the traditional Requiem, Brahms's work begins with a desire for resurrection. The music is deep, but not simply plaintive. Because the first line in the lyrics is "Blessed are those who mourn" from the "Sermon on the Mount". Completely different from the "Lord give them rest" in the Latin Mass, the music here is the desire for eternal life after resurrection, rather than mourning for death. It is this kind of praise of life that distinguishes Brahms from other composers who use Latin libretto, so that he can inject more life into his music.

In the process of composing the "German Requiem", in addition to his subtle relationship with Clara Schumann, Brahms also met another musician's angel - who once brought music to Wagner. Go to Mrs. Wesendonck for countless inspirations. Brahms, of course, had been avoiding Mathilde Wesendonck. We don’t know exactly why, but the relationship between the two only gave rise to one insignificant work - "The Cremation Ceremony", a choral work. The author of the lyrics is none other than Mrs. Wesendonck.

Although Brahms did not become another "swallow" for Mathilde, there is no doubt that "Cremation Ceremony" played a role in promoting the completion of the "German Requiem". This kind of passage with a strong sense of ritual remains only in part of the second section of the "German Requiem". It is not difficult to see that Brahms deliberately weakened the funeral march part of the music. And in the traditional Latin Requiem Mass, the "Day of Wrath" passage has a central place. But soon this march was interrupted and replaced by the warmth of spring.

The fifth section of music of the "German Requiem" was the last section added. Because Brahms chose the words of a mother to comfort her child, it was considered to be the best example of recalling his mother. Perhaps this piece of music does reflect his grief for his mother, but it does not affect the creative motivation of the entire work. The most influential thing is the box office of this work in the future - adding such a sensational story to an already very warm work will undoubtedly make more people willing to accept it.

In 1868, the year before this music was added, the six-section version of the "German Requiem" was premiered in Bremen Cathedral, with the composer himself conducting. The 35-year-old Brahms won recognition from the audience with this performance. However, the complete seven-part version a year later did not immediately win the audience's approval. If there is the most important difference between the six-part version and the seven-part version, it may be that the personalization trend is more obvious in the final version.

The success of "German Requiem" at that time was inseparable from political and religious factors. Although Brahms often lived in small towns in southern Germany at the time, it was the Protestant areas in northern Germany that really accepted the "Deutsche Requiem". These Lutherans interpreted the resurrection beyond heaven and hell. Brahms went further. Although he is a devout Christian, and his familiarity with the Bible also helped him select the lyrics smoothly, the real meaning behind the music is the victory of reason and the inheritance of the previous humanitarian and philanthropic spirit. At this point, the works of Beethoven, his model, and Handel, Beethoven's model, became almost direct relatives of the Deutsche Requiem.

In addition to inheriting the secular and rational spirit of the German oratorio, Brahms also inherited the praise of the human spirit in this secular work. It is this national spirit that contributed to the popularity of "Deutsche Requiem" in Germany. However, Brahms was a man who tried hard to avoid politics throughout his life, and there is almost no Beethovenian cry in his works. But this does not mean that he is incompetent, but that he consciously avoids such clear direction. The fifth paragraph may have been added for this purpose. ——About the journey of collecting the record version of "German Requiem"

(Source: Tianya Community Author: Predestined Rosary)

Who can refuse comfort? In that slightly empty hall, there are the hesitant and nostalgic footsteps and gazes of our deceased relatives.

Who gently closed their eyes, who silently wiped away our tears, and who touched the once injured eyes and souls.

Under the protection of God, the nightingale hummed the songs of childhood next to the angel.

The flowers surrounding the altar have quietly bloomed. But the guardian of the altar has disappeared.

I followed Brahms’ huge figure into the altar. As a place of worship, its openness is vast. I have been wandering in this vast space for a long time.

In this manuscript, which Brahms called an elegy of humanitarian sorrow and comfort, it is clearly mentioned - "May those who mourn be blessed." This is a requiem for the living.

I still clearly remember many years ago when a friend gave me the "Deutsche Requiem", which was the Sinopoli edition commemorating the 150th anniversary of Brahms' birth. A record journey to find more solace began.

In fact, the process of searching for different interpretations of records seems to be searching for more possibilities, directions, rhythms, rhythms and dreams. I have always respected people who tried to build grand temples. The structure and texture of temples are also what I am interested in exploring. Karajan should fulfill my wish.

I don’t know since when, Karajan has become a symbol, and everything this symbol represents has also become a boundary and ruler. I really don’t want to see all kinds of complex and extreme expressions when people see this symbol. Among all versions of the "German Requiem" Karajan's two versions cannot be ignored. EMI's 1947 version and DG's 1983 version. Karajan recorded this song many times throughout his life.

For music fans who admire magnificent architecture, Karajan’s 1947 version is not to be missed. It took me 3 years to look for this record. These 3 years were full of hardships, and it always passed me by. It always passes by me like a loach just before I get it, leaving me stamping my feet and beating my chest, which makes me very angry.

It is conceivable that after the war, the grass in Germany was dim, the trees were desolate, and the shadow of war still covered people's broken hearts. For people who have gone through the catastrophe, any singing and dancing will seem inappropriate.

I think Karajan, Schwarzkopf, Hans Ott and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra went not to a concert but to a battle. Schwarzkopf and Hans Ott also seemed to be not singers, but warriors, generous, passionate and decisive. I even felt that they were singing with clenched fists and glaring eyes. Under Karajan's electric stick, music is not just music, but more of a kind of power, a kind of dignity, an awe-inspiring dignity, and the hard and heavy sound of mono makes this feeling even more important. strength.

This is an awe-inspiring version, a Karajan-esque monument.

I think this performance left a profound memory for Karajan. So much so that thirty-six years later, Karajan is still looking for the feeling he had back then. From the recording in 1983, in his twilight years, he was still trying to make this kind of effort. However, things have changed and Karajan, who has become famous, no longer needs to fight. What he needs is spiritual comfort and stability. The simple and pure voice passed through the road and passed through Karajan's forty years. Passion has turned into endless warmth, which is also the gesture and expression of praying to God. After listening to Schwarzkopf's singing, I already knew something about it, and I was still thinking about Karajan's inspiring experience in 1947. In many CD guide series, I found that the most recommended ones were Klemperer, Diesko, and Schwarzkopf. This was almost my dream combination, but after listening to it several times, I began to be disappointed. , and began to doubt his hearing and appreciation abilities. Could it be that the recommendations of so many experts were wrong, or that they were spreading rumors.

My ears did not deceive me. The rhythm has always been that of Klemperer, which is slow and slightly dragging. What I especially cannot tolerate are Schwarzkopf and Diesko, with their star-like style. The singing is graceful and luxurious, but not impressive. The whole singing is completely separated from the band.

I feel like I am listening to a singing skills competition. Maybe the shadow of Schwarzkopf’s 47 years has been following me. It always creates obstacles for me and prevents me from fully entering. I think this version may not be suitable for me. It is just an ordinary concert. That’s all, I can only comfort myself like this. After the first few experiences, I started to become more cautious in version selection.

I really don’t know what else I want. You know, I can't ask everyone to open their eyes wide and clench their fists to sing, that would look ridiculous and childish.

In chatting with friends, I learned that there is a version of Lehman in DG Lehua. Although I know nothing about Lehman, based on my trust in DG Lehua, I still Got this version.

Maria Stead built up my confidence again. After listening to it, I began to feel proud again. This is also an outstanding performance. Strings sounded like gossamer sounds from afar. It came from the foggy tent rising from the dark blue distant mountains. It’s like a messenger from heaven is observing the familiar human world. The progressive melody sways our hearts, and the gentlest and softest part of our hearts begins to melt. Maria Stead’s singing is just as I expected, Bright and warm like the wind blowing in spring, it does not eat the fireworks of the world, it is pure and moving. If there are angels, then I believe Maria Stead's voice at this moment is the voice of an angel.

The Furtwangler version is a 48-year-old recording of the "Music and Art" company. It is also the version that I have heard for a longer period of time. It is also the version with the fullest and most passionate chorus. It maintains the same quality from beginning to end. state of excitement. Full of monumental solemnity. The string texture of the first movement is clear and quiet, the soprano Tellinder’s singing is mellow and warm (it belongs to the old-school vocal technique), the baritone Stade’s affectionateness, and Furtwangler’s extraordinary control ability impressed me. Amazing.

I think Furtwangler should be Brahms's messenger, reaching the most secret corner of Brahms' heart, and then letting the sunshine and rain come to us. A friend of mine once reminded me that your Deutsche Requiem record collection would be incomplete without the Kempe edition. After listening to it several times, I have initially confirmed his statement.

Just like the cover of this album with Kempe's head in meditation, Kempe's thinking is careful and sophisticated. This is not a passionate performance. Each movement shines with the blazing light of Kenpei's rationality. It is a big river woven by strings, gentle and broad, while the chorus stands like a steady rock, stretching in Brahms' dark night. into film. Elisabeth Grumer and the young Fischer Diesko are two luminous statues in the darkness. Grumer is slender and loud, while Diesko is deep and powerful. Under the reflection of the chorus river, Clear and defensible. Square and square. This is my final impression after listening to this version.

There are no rules, but this rule seems so insurmountable for Masur. Perhaps the symphonies of Beethoven and Brahms require this kind of rules, but the "German Requiem" requires huge emotional investment, inspiration and transcendence.

This version is surprisingly short, only 60:19. I have always doubted whether this kind of turbulent performance is appropriate. Masur's directness and simplicity are in sharp contrast with Celibidachi's subtlety and profundity.

I think Masur's performance is impatient. It may be that the pain of reality is too much, so he can only hit the road in a hurry, without time to wipe away his own or other people's tears. I have been immersed in Brahms' "Deutsche Requiem" these days, and my heart has become extremely sensitive and delicate. I'm stuck in it and can't extricate myself.

The same New York Philharmonic Orchestra, in Walter’s hands, became extremely affectionate. It was also a short period of 62:14. Walter's performance was stretched and not as cramped as Masur's. I really want to find out, what does time mean to a conductor? And whether the speed of the rhythm can present the connotation of the music. The sound was thick, and the beating of the timpani in the second movement seemed to hit the depths of my soul, which was deep and painful. This version grabbed me right from the start, without a hitch, fierce and solemn.

What surprised me was Severide's singing, which was strong and slightly nervous, while George London's singing was low and open-minded. As a master interpreter of Brahms, Walter is trustworthy. The loss and recovery of this record made me experience a time of confusion, doubt, darkness, and pain.

I started to like "Deutsche Requiem" from this record. It has extraordinary meaning to me. It has experienced the warmth of friendship and the darkness of betrayal.

I still feel deeply guilty for the friend who gave me the DG 83 version. I vowed to find it again. Finally, my friend and I found it together in the DG cheap version. I think this is also a comfort to our friendship.

Sinopoli did not build majestic buildings, but his simple and humane expressions deeply moved me. Like our considerate friends, we recall and fantasize with us. Sinopoli's affectionateness and timelessness, Pop's tenderness and elegance, and Brand's profundity brought bundles of warm memories to my usually lazy days. In any case, it brought me too much happiness and pain, and it tied a knot deep in my memory. I started to feel a little reluctant. After I had so many exciting and heart-warming experiences, could there be no more exciting version for me? I didn't believe it, and that's when I found the Tennstedt version. Tenstedt entered Brahms's hall at an unusually slow pace.

The almost hypnotic chorus led me into a kind of piety, and Tenstedt has been very vigilant in maintaining this kind of piety, as if he was an old man in his twilight years, looking back on his life with a relieved smile. And Jesse Norman has a beautiful voice. She sings melodiously and brilliantly, and her voice range is as warm and affectionate as a mother's embrace. She seems to open a window for me, letting all the fresh and healthy air fill my chest.

I have always believed that Tennstedt is a master conductor who can create miracles from time to time, as evidenced by his Mahler and Bruckner. Probably my first Abbado record. If it hadn't been for the "German Requiem", if it hadn't been for Charles Stead, and Andres Schmidt, I think I would have turned a blind eye to Abbado, and I can't tell why.

Abbado has a consistent singing quality, flowing as smoothly as a river in spring or a river of string music, flowing in the heart of the listener, far away from pain and far away from suffering. The chorus is peaceful and natural. Karajan's tension and solemnity disappeared like a spring breeze from Abbado.

Abbado's expression was calm at first. As the music unfolded, he was obviously fascinated by the sound coming from his stick. His expression was sad. The chorus became excited, but soon returned to normal. People now need a pleasing concert rather than a memorial ceremony. I think I'm starting to like Abbado a little bit, which is a bonus. Haitink's version is what I have been looking forward to for a long time, and this expectation also includes expectations for Janowitz. Fortunately, Haitink did not disappoint me. I have listened to many of his Brahms, which are detailed and colorful. This version of Haitink's treatment is quite special. The first movement enters softly, and the rhythm has always been cautious. It was even restrained before Janowitz appeared in the fifth movement. Haitink was completely hidden behind Brahms' huge figure, like rain dissolved in water, you just You can hear the sparse sound of rain, but you can't see where it comes from. You can only feel its moist atmosphere.

Janowitz's voice once again proved that she is the best conveyor of Brahms' comfort. Unlike Maria Stead's thin and gossamer voice, Janowitz's voice is clear and beautiful. , noble, and the penetrating power of the treble is unmatched.

After I listened to Janowitz singing the fifth movement, I fully understood Haitink. Everything Haitink did in the first four movements was completely waiting for Janowitz. Appear, I know that as a conductor, he should know what is most important to him and needs to be full of color. Before this, control and forbearance or preparation are well-founded. The climax appears in the sixth movement. The chorus is gorgeous and unrestrained, emerging from the mountains of the previous movements, while the final movement returns to silence after being brilliant.

Haitink's version is the most dramatic one. You must be patient when listening to this version. I don't know what to say about this version, I just know that I didn't like it, it didn't give me hope, and it didn't disappoint me either.

Solti’s performance was normal, and Kanaja’s singing was normal. It seems that Solti had no ambition to explore the inner strength of the spirit.

Everything starts in the ordinary and ends in peace, without highlights. The only saving grace is that, like Solti's other records, the recording is excellent. This is a normal version, that's all. The long-awaited dream combination finally appeared. In my limited listening experience, I really can’t think of any existing master who excites me more than Giulini, the Vienna Philharmonic and Chorus, Barbara Bonnie, and Andres Schmidt. Combined.

This version of the record is as wonderful as Giulini's other records in the DG Master series. He has always been one of the conductors I am very obsessed with. He is almost a guarantee of perfection, accuracy and confidence. Regarding Giulini's records, I almost always pick them up one after another, and I have never had any regrets.

Giulini entered Brahms’s temple resolutely. Hesitation, hesitation, and waiting had nothing to do with Giulini. Under Giulini's baton, the orchestra entered a state of inexplicable excitement from the beginning, and the same goes for the chorus. I think Giulini understood Brahms from another aspect. He provided a rational and intellectual space.

We are used to hearing the implicit and foreshadowing of the introduction until it reaches the climax. What is special about Giulini's version is the displacement and inversion of the structure. From the passionate beginning to the contemplative end of the final movement, he has carefully considered it. Giulini's layout is majestic and extraordinary. In the solemn and solemn mansion he built, the control and grasp of rhythm and rhythm are very imaginative.

Barbara Bonnie is as pure, mellow and contains incomparable affection as I imagined. This kind of impurity-free sound is needed in "German Requiem" and has nothing to do with technique. Under the peaceful and quiet background of the strings, Barbara Bonnie's voice becomes more and more delicate, pleasant and refreshing. In this pure atmosphere, all the worries and pains in the world disappear. And all that is left are warm memories.

Giulini inherited the mantle of the Italian school represented by Toscanini. His German and Austrian works often have a kind of contemplative power and profound meditation, and the feelings of the music are sincere, without That kind of conceited exaggeration, listening to Giulini's "German Requiem" has a solid power that supports you.

I really can’t imagine what kind of flowers will bloom in Brahms’ “German Requiem”. I have smelled the bright, fresh, cold and even withered flowers for a long time. . What am I expecting?

I can only follow the direction of my heart to find it. After a series of mountains, seas and strange lands, what am I still looking for? Hearsay, an outstandingly designed cover, the conductor’s complex, the singing lineup, the era and background of the recording, may all be the reasons why I own it.

I think I still need new elements to stimulate. I figured Karajan might still be able to help me do it. For the most comprehensive and detailed conductor who has brought classical music to the public, different groups of people will always find a home or resting place in Karajan's versions of different eras.

Listening to Karajan live is different from the recording studio. Karajan's live has removed many "making" elements, and appears lively and even rough, like the breeze blowing in the mountains. For this kind of live recording, it is the only one, so it is even more precious.

The sound is no longer as magnificent as the digital recording. Fischer Diskau's performance is completely different from Klemperer's version, with a full, mellow and passionate voice. Lisa Casa's singing was warm and pleasant, and she accompanied the chorus quietly in the distance, which deepened the soothing feeling. The climax comes in the final movement, which is an expression of deep emotion after contemplation. Among the many versions of the "German Requiem", I was the last one to buy Celibidachi's version, which subverted all my listening experiences. This is an extremely long version, even longer than Furtevanle's version, which lasted 87:35.

Under the temple, Chelibidachi approached me dragging his long figure. I think God always chooses his trusted messengers to convey our meditations and desires to the upper world. Chelibidach approached me with a strange rhythm and slow steps. Perhaps it was the slowness of his steps that prevented me from being aroused. The noise and restlessness within us. He cuts off our hearing bit by bit and subverts our imagination bit by bit.

You know, when people look up to God or the altar, they should calm down and slow down their steps, so as not to disturb those sleeping souls. Tears filled our vision, and the world began to become unclear. It was Alan Ogg's heart-piercing singing that made us raise our heads again and look straight ahead firmly. The old friend has gone on the road, and we who are left behind should support each other towards the unfinished life.

Cellibidacci has found the path to Brahms' heart. His poetry and weirdness are mixed together, his expressions are complex, dark and meaningful, and everything is under his control. I think Celibidacci’s art is transcendental art, the persistence and exploration behind the sound, and it all stems from whether our hearts and our experiences are fully consistent with his, this kind of auditory contract It doesn't take time to hone, it can even be formed with a ray of light, a flashback, or a look.

I know that I have found the person who sings the soul and is simple at heart.

We always hope to see clearly what kind of portrait stands behind the music.

We always hope that the light in our hearts can illuminate every inch of skin and every side of his body.

What else can you expect from the different versions of the record?

How many different aspects of the world can satisfy us?

Is the light within us important?

Or are the different aspects of presentation important?

Are those the essence of music?

How far is it for the essence and ultimate goal of music to reach our hearts?

Logically speaking, I should end this long journey of collecting "Deutsche Requiem" records. Perhaps like my friend who was collecting Mahler's editions of "European Song", I had become obsessed with the game I had set up. The colorful magic box made me forget the existence of time or the rules of the game.

However, people must come to terms with themselves or the world. You can't always challenge your ears and soul with one sound. I know that as a wise man, he should instinctively know where to draw the end.

However, there is always a power that makes us burst into tears, and there is always a mysterious thing that pulls us, disappearing into the unknown or confused distance, taking away our illusions and dreams...