Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Ein deutsches Requiem Op 45 (1865-68)
Miku Yasukawa (soprano); Jochen Kupfer (bass-baritone)
Bach Collegium Japan/Masaaki Suzuki
rec. 2024, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Japan
German text and English translation included
BIS BIS-2751 SACD [65]

Only recently, I reviewed a new recording of Ein deutsches Requiem, made in Bergen and conducted by Edward Gardner. Now, along comes another version, this time from Japan, conducted by Masaaki Suzuki. I’m not going to make comparisons between those two recordings for two reasons. For one thing, Suzuki’s recording uses period instruments and a much smaller choir of just thirty-six singers (nine per part). Furthermore, my summary verdict on the Gardner was that, though his performance had a lot to commend it I felt it just missed the mark: spoiler alert; Suzuki does not miss the mark. A more relevant comparator for Suzuki is the excellent 2008 recording by the Monteverdi Choir and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner (review), though in making comparisons one must note that the Gardiner is a live recording while Suzuki’s was made, I believe, under studio conditions. Gardiner uses a slightly larger choir than Suzuki; he has 46 singers (17/10/8/11).

Suzuki’s performance opens auspiciously; there’s a lovely, veiled quality to the sound of the orchestra and the lower strings – the ‘nutty’ violas especially – have an idiomatic grainy character. The Gardiner performance is presented in recorded sound that is a bit more ‘present’, so although the playing of his orchestra is no less refined than that which we hear from BCJ, once one has heard the Suzuki that veiled quality is not easily forgotten. Suzuki’s pace is measured, but in a good way; there’s no suggestion of dragging. The Japanese choir exhibits fine attention to detail and I was immediately aware that the BIS engineers – and the skill of the musicians – means that all the instrumental and vocal lines are clear; lots of detail is apparent. Indeed, as I listened to the performance as a whole, such is the textural clarity that I noticed a number of small details which had rather passed me by in other performances, whether on modern or period instruments. As an example, in bars 19 and 20 of the first movement the horns play three Fs, followed by an A; that’s nicely discernible in Suzuki’s performance without any unwarranted exaggeration. This very fine account of the first movement gets Suzuki’s performance of Ein deutsches Requiem off to a most encouraging start; one wants to listen on.

Suzuki is again measured in the second movement. I like the way that tension is built very naturally but effectively until the forte statement of ‘Denn alles Fleisch’. At ‘So seid nun geduldig’ Brahms marks the music Etwas bewegter (Somewhat more moving). I was rather surprised that Suzuki (unlike Gardiner) doesn’t move the music forward as much as I’d expected; however, lightness, and the necessary contrast with the slow march material, is still achieved. ‘Aber des Herrn Wort’ makes a fine impact and then in the long contrapuntal passage that follows (‘Die Erlöseten des Herrn’) I admire the great clarity which Suzuki and his singers achieve; I also like the way that they ensure that the word ‘Freude’ is the key element in this passage.     

In the third movement we hear from the baritone soloist. I don’t think I’ve previously encountered the German bass-baritone, Jochen Kupfer but I was very impressed. He’s expressive in his enunciation of the words and his excellent tone is produced effortlessly and evenly throughout his vocal compass. Gardiner’s soloist is Matthrew Brook. He’s very good but his delivery doesn’t seem quite so easy as Kupfer’s; of the two, I prefer the German singer. Kupfer offers an impressively lyrical delivery in the passage beginning ‘Ach wie gar nichts’. This movement culminates with one of Brahms’ mighty fugues (‘Der Gerechten Seelen sind in Gottes Hand’). This extensive passage benefits from marvellous clarity of detail on the part of Suzuki’s choir and orchestra. The performance is full of energy and purpose; it’s terrific.

After an easefully flowing rendition of ‘Wie lieblich sind Deine Wohnungen’, we get to hear the soprano soloist in ‘Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit’. Suzuki’s singer is Miku Yasukawa. I really liked her contribution. She has an attractive, gleaming voice and sings with purity of tone and clarity of diction. Gardiner is equally well served by Katharine Fuge but if I were compelled to make a choice Ms Yasukawa edges it. The choir and orchestra support her with great delicacy; this is a lovely account of the movement.

Suzuki’s initial pace in the sixth movement is a little on the brisk side, I think, but not damagingly so; better that than too slow a tempo which can make the music trudge. Once again, Jochen Kupfer makes a fine impression; in the episode in which he’s involved, Suzuki builds the tension very effectively until the moment when Brahms unleashes the turbulence of the last trumpet (‘Denn es wird die Posaune schallen’). The fugue at ‘Herr, Du bist würdig’ is nimbly done; Suzuki and his colleagues achieve commendable clarity and make the music exciting. This extended fugue can sometimes seem to go on too long; that’s emphatically not the case here. Gardiner, I should say, is electrifying in the last trumpet episode, which he takes more quickly that Suzuki. I was a bit surprised, though, to be reminded that he’s rather steadier than Suzuki in the fugue; the Gardiner performance of this section is very fine but I prefer Suzuki’s fleetness of foot.

In my review of the Gardiner performance, I was critical of what I thought was too swift a basic tempo in the final movement; I have no such reservations with Suzuki. A little later, we get to the wonderful passage which, for me, is the key to the movement and, arguably, to Ein deutsches Requiem as a whole. ‘Ja, der Geist spricht’ is a heart-stopping moment and here Suzuki, the choir and orchestra distil a marvellous sense of awe. Then, there’s great reassurance in the music as the choir sings ‘dass sie ruhen von ihrer Arbeit’ and I felt that reassurance as I listened to this performance.   

This a very fine, deeply satisfying account of Brahms’ great masterpiece. Masaaki Suzuki has the full measure of the score and I found his interpretation convincing at every turn. He guides and shapes the performance with great wisdom. He’s superbly served by the singers and players of Bach Collegium Japan. The orchestral playing is magnificent throughout and, as I’ve already indicated, the clarity of texture that’s achieved is ear-opening. As for the singers of Bach Collegium Japan, there may only be thirty-six of them but I never once felt any lack of tonal weight; furthermore, the size of the choir means that articulation and internal balance is at the highest level. The basses provide a firm foundation without ever being too heavy, while the tonal clarity of the tenors is outstanding. All four sections of the choir are superb.

The recording was produced and engineered by a team from Take5 Music Production. I think they’ve done an outstanding job. Right now, I’m struggling to recall hearing a better balanced, more truthful recording of Ein deutsches Requiem. I listened to the stereo layer of this Hybrid SACD and was thrilled with the results.

I continue to admire the Gardiner recording very much. However, I think this new Suzuki version is even better as an all-round proposition, taking into account both the performance and the engineering. Indeed, I think Suzuki’s performance of this great work is one of the finest I’ve heard in a long time.

John Quinn

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