‘Discovering Johannes Brahms as a young man marked the inception of his illustrious career as a composer. His early compositions, such as his first Lieder, resonated with a delightful blend of joy, freshness and light. While some of these early works may exude a certain naivety in both expression and execution, they consistently bear a deeply personal and direct quality. The sheer delight I found in exploring this early phase of Brahms’ work was immeasurable.’
– Ulrich Eisenlohr
Johannes BRAHMS (1833–1897)
Complete Songs, Vol. 4
Opp. 6, 14, 19 and 48
Alina Wunderlin, SopranoKieran Carrel, Tenor
Ulrich Eisenlohr, Piano
Brahms’ early songs express an exuberance that may surprise those who are unfamiliar with this element of his music making. The Op. 6 set includes a Mediterranean-flavoured song in bolero rhythm and songs of hope and joy, displaying an apparent simplicity that was hard-won and the product of constant refinement. Based on folk songs, the Op. 14 collection is astonishingly varied, ranging from folk melodies to medieval harmonies and Baroque-styled richness. Elsewhere Brahms charts more melodious, elegiac settings in the Op. 19 set and confronts melancholy and loss in Op. 48.
No. 3 Murrays Ermordung
piano
soprano
mezzo-soprano
tenor
tenor
baritone
Opp. 32, 43, 86, and 105
Prégardien • Eisenlohr
– American Record Guide
Deutsche Volkslieder, WoO 33: Books 1–5
Wunderlin • Valentin-Fieguth • Carrel • Ingenpaß
Eisenlohr
– American Record Guide
Deutsche Volkslieder, WoO 33: Books 6–7
Volkskinderlieder, WoO 31
Wunderlin • Valentin-Fieguth • Carrel • Ingenpaß
Eisenlohr
– Classical Explorer