Customer Reviews

Brahms: Serenades Nos. 1 & 2

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Sir Charles Mackerras is a great conductor and scholar. He was among the pioneers in what is now called "historically informed performance", but has not really gone so far as to embrace original instruments or "period performance practice".

Mackerras' recordings of Handel and Mozart are well known; in the past several years, he has expanded his recorded repertoire to include Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler, and now Brahms. He also has a specialty in music of Czech composers such as Dvorak and Janacek. This recording, like so many others of this great and relatively little-known conductor, is one of the best available of these works. (Believe it or not, it is hard to think of a single recording by Mackerras that is not among the best; his Handel Messiah from the late '60s is still a great choice)

The Brahms serenades are "lighter" than the symphonies, but these performances are "lighter" yet, in that the orchestral clarity characteristic of the "period performance" style is ideal for these beautiful works, and Telarc's recording provides even more clarity. Anyone who thinks Brahms is ponderous or "thick" should try these works in these performances. After hearing this CD, I am determined to go get Mackerras' recordings of the Brahms symphonies.

You will love this music; and do yourself a favor and go get Mackerras'recordings of the Dvorak Slavonic Dances too!

Thanks to the historically informed performance of Maestro Mackerras (small divided violin sections and natural horns) and the tremendous recording quality of Telarc one can hear all the instruments very clear and fresh sounding.
I think that this is currently the best pick of the Serenades one can get. I like Mackerras muscular and fairly dramatic interpretation.

Try also his great Brahms Symphony cycle. It is very different than others because Mackerras uses the performing forces Brahms intended in his Meiningen Orchestra (for instance the size and layout of the orchestra including the use of natural brass).

I'm a great fan of Sir Charles, but I'm of two minds about his celebrated and controversial Brahms Symphony set. I think the chamber-orchestra approach takes away from almost as much as it brings to this music. On the other hand, I'm willing to say that Brahms's two youthful serenades have never sounded fresher or more piquant than in these wonderful performances, especially the Serenade No. 1, which has all the "look-at-me-world" audaciousness that Brahms must have felt in putting his first orchestral work to paper. It glows, especially in Telarc's crystalline recording. Sir Charles's way with the sweeter, more sedate Second Serenade is just as winning, but it's the performance of the First Serenade that I still, joyously, hear resounding in my imagination.

Run to get this recording if you want to hear incredible horn playing in Serenade No.1. This piece is sheer joy and the performance is without equal. Power and grace, delicacy and momentum are all here.

I purchased this recording for the second of the two serenades and was not the least bit disappointed. For one, the balance of the ensemble was excellent and the rise and fall of the woodwind lines as they came and went out of the texture was wonderful. This is great (primarily) wind music at its finest, and a nice example of some of Brahms' most underperformed works, I think. Also, it is an opportunity to hear some of the most delicious ensemble writing for bassoons in particular.

The first serenade sounded a bit more "Beethoveny". It was as well performed as the second serenade, but of a different character altogether. I preferred the second piece, but that is admittedly a matter of taste. If you like Brahms, and like smaller ensemble works, this is an excellent recording. The second serenade is terrific example of works primarily for winds.

I purchased this cd on the advice of a friend here in the Amazon Classical Music Community, shortly after the passing of the now sorely missed Sir Charles Mackerras. I've been a fan of Mackerras for many years now & have always been quite taken with both his Mozart & his Beethoven. These serenades of Brahms seemd to me to be pieces that Sir Charles would be very well suited for & I have not been disappointed. The gorgeous Telarc sound & the wonderful performances Mackerras gets from the players of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra make this cd a true treasure. I miss Sir Charles very much, but I'm comforted to know that his recorded out-put will stand his legacy in good stead now that he is enjoying a well deserved rest & the angelic choirs in heaven. Many thanks, my old friend, for years of joyful listening!

Charles Mackerras has been one of the most important conductors of the last
50 years. It has been a really shocking and sad new his passing yesterday.

He was a great Händel performer and also a compelling mozartian, but his
repertoire was very wide including czech composers such as Janacek, Dvorak
and Smetana, leaving us wonderful recordings of their major works.

He performed Brahms frequently and left marvelous recordings of the four
symphonies and a wonderful and delightful compilation of the two early
serenades. Sir Charles impressed in those performances with the SChO unusual freshness and clarity of their orchestration. Mackerras and his scottish
players clearly delight in the catchy tunes and colorful scoring, and he
leads performances that, while clearly "Romantic" in their freedom of tempo,
are scaled to emphasize the music's classical background, in a wonderful
chamber atmosphere. As a final plus, sonics by Telarc are wonderful, as
usual and the result is a matter of wonder.

A wonderful sample to know mastery of Mackerras art of conducting. Rest
in peace, Maestro.

Brahms was obviously in a 'symphonic' frame of mind when he composed these serenades. I am glad he finally got around to composing symphonies and not just serenades.

While Charles Mackerras has come up with a new reason to record Brahms' Serenades, a historically accurate Brahms is not necessarily a beautiful Brahms. Sir Charles' muscular interpretation may win points for enthusiasm, but Bernard Haitink and the Concertgebuow Orchestra did it better on an old Philips recording. Still it is an honest sound and the Serenade No. 1 is a wonderful piece of music full of the youthful exuberence of the young Brahms. I never get tired of this piece. The melodies are glorious and familiarity does not diminish its capacity to warm the heart. It deserves to be performed more often. Sir Charles has done us a good turn by reminding us how great it is in his new recording.