A German Requiem discography
This is a non-exhaustive list of recordings of Johannes Brahms' A German Requiem (Ein deutsches Requiem), Op. 45 (1868). The primary table features recordings of the standard version with full orchestra. Additional recordings that use either the two-piano and timpani version by Brahms himself or arrangements by other composers are provided in list format below the main table.
Recordings
| Year | Conductor | Chorus, orchestra | Soprano, baritone | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Arturo Toscanini | Westminster Choir, NBC Symphony Orchestra |
Vivien Della Chiesa Herbert Jansssen |
Naxos 8.110839, historical CD reissue | sung in English |
| 1947 | Herbert von Karajan | Choral Society of the Friends of Music, Vienna, Vienna Philharmonic |
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Hans Hotter |
EMI | |
| 1947 | Wilhelm Furtwängler | Lucerne Festival Choir, Lucerne Festival Orchestra |
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Hans Hotter |
Istituto Discografico Italiano IDIS 6674 | live performance |
| 1948 | Robert Shaw | RCA Victor Chorale and Orchestra | Eleanor Steber James Pease |
RCA Victor | first commercial recording of the work in the USA |
| 1948 | Wilhelm Furtwängler | Musikalista Sällskapet Kör, Stockholm Konsertförenings Orkester |
Kerstin Lindberg-Torlind Bernhard Sönnerstedt |
Warner Classics (2018 issue) | recorded live at Konzerthuset, Stockholm |
| 1954 | Bruno Walter | Westminster Choir, New York Philharmonic |
Irmgard Seefried George London |
CBS | |
| 1955 | Fritz Lehmann | Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale, Berlin Philharmonic |
Maria Stader Otto Wiener |
Deutsche Grammophon | |
| 1955 | Rudolf Kempe | Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale, Berlin Philharmonic |
Elisabeth Grümmer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau |
EMI | recorded in the Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin-Dahlem |
| 1956 | Otto Klemperer | Kölner Rundfunkchor, Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester |
Elisabeth Grümmer Hermann Prey |
International Classical Artists | recorded live |
| 1959 | Carl Schuricht | Stuttgart Vokalensemble, Hesse Radio Choir, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Maria Stader Hermann Prey |
Hänssler Classic 93144 | |
| 1960 | Karl Eliasberg | Republican Russian Choir Cappella, USSR State Symphony Orchestra |
Nadezhda Sukhovitsyna Leonid Petrov |
Russian Compact Disc | released in 2010 by Vista Vera |
| 1960 | Sergiu Celibidache | Chorus of RAI Milano, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano della RAI |
Agnes Giebel Hermann Prey |
Archipel Records ARPCD0848 | live radio recording from 19 February |
| 1961 | Otto Klemperer | Philharmonia Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra |
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau |
EMI | |
| 1961 | Eugene Ormandy | Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Philadelphia Orchestra |
Phyllis Curtin Jerome Hines |
Columbia Records | sung in English |
| 1964 | Herbert von Karajan | Wiener Singverein, Berlin Philharmonic |
Gundula Janowitz Eberhard Waechter |
Deutsche Grammophon | |
| 1964 | Karl Richter | Chorus of the RTF, Orchestre National de France |
Evelyn Lear Thomas Stewart |
EMI | recorded live on 8 April 1964 in Paris |
| 1969 | Erich Leinsdorf | New England Conservatory Chorus, Boston Symphony Orchestra |
Montserrat Caballe Sherill Milnes |
RCA Victor | |
| 1976 | Herbert von Karajan | Wiener Singverein, Berlin Philharmonic |
Anna Tomowa-Sintow José van Dam |
EMI | |
| 1977 | Lorin Maazel | New Philharmonia Chorus, New Philharmonia Orchestra |
Ileana Cotrubaş Hermann Prey |
CBS | |
| March 1978 | Herbert von Karajan | Wiener Singverein, Berlin Philharmonic |
Gundula Janowitz José van Dam |
Deutsche Grammophon, cat. 072 235-1 |
filmed at the Salzburg Easter Festival |
| 1978 | Georg Solti | Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra |
Kiri Te Kanawa Bernd Weikl |
Decca | 1979 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance |
| 1978 | Carlo Maria Giulini | Edinburgh International Festival Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra |
Ileana Cotrubas Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau |
BBC Legends | recorded live, 26 August 1978 |
| 1978 | Rafael Kubelik | Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Edith Mathis Wolfgang Brendel |
Audite | recording of a concert on 29 September 1978 |
| 1980 | Bernard Haitink | Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic |
Gundula Janowitz Tom Krause |
Philips Records | |
| 1981 | Sergiu Celibidache | Munich Philharmonic Choir, Munich Bach Choir, Munich Philharmonic |
Arleen Augér Franz Gerihsen |
EMI | recorded live |
| 1983 | Robert Shaw | Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra |
Arleen Augér Richard Stilwell |
Telarc | |
| 1983 | Giuseppe Sinopoli | Prague Philharmonic Chorus, Czech Philharmonic |
Lucia Popp Wolfgang Brendel |
Deutsche Grammophon | |
| 1983 | James Levine | Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra |
Kathleen Battle Håkan Hagegård |
RCA | 1984 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance |
| May 1983 | Herbert von Karajan | Wiener Singverein, Wiener Philharmoniker |
Barbara Hendricks José van Dam |
Deutsche Grammophon | |
| 1983 | János Ferencsik | Slovak Philharmonic Choir, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra |
Ilona Tokody István Gáti |
Hungaroton | |
| 1984 | Klaus Tennstedt | London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic |
Jessye Norman Jorma Hynninen |
EMI | issued 1996; re-issued by Brilliant Classics |
| 1985 | Herbert Kegel | Leipzig Radio Choir, Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Mari Anne Häggander Siegfried Lorenz |
Capriccio | |
| May 1985 | Herbert von Karajan | Wiener Singverein, Wiener Philharmoniker |
Kathleen Battle José van Dam |
Sony Classical SVD 53485 | filmed in Vienna |
| 1985 | Wolfgang Sawallisch | BR Chor, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Margaret Price Thomas Allen |
Orfeo CD 039101 | |
| 1987 | Carlo Maria Giulini | Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic |
Barbara Bonney Andreas Schmidt |
Deutsche Grammophon | recorded live |
| 1990 | John Eliot Gardiner | Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique |
Charlotte Margiono Rodney Gilfry |
Philips Classics | uses period instruments re-released in 2010 on Decca |
| 1991 | Richard Hickox | London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra |
Felicity Lott David Wilson-Johnson |
Chandos | |
| 1991 | Roger Norrington | Schütz Choir of London, London Classical Players |
Lynne Dawson Olaf Bär |
EMI | uses period instruments re-released in 1999 on Virgin |
| 1992 | Claudio Abbado | Swedish Radio Choir, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir Berlin Philharmonic |
Cheryl Studer Andreas Schmidt |
Deutsche Grammophon | recorded live |
| 1992 | Daniel Barenboim | Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra |
Janet Williams Thomas Hampson |
Erato | |
| 1992 | André Previn | Vienna State Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
Margaret Price Samuel Ramey |
Teldec | |
| 1992 | Alexander Rahbari | Slovak Philharmonic Choir, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Miriam Gauci Eduard Tumagian |
Naxos | |
| 1995 | Herbert Blomstedt | San Francisco Symphony Chorus ,San Francisco Symphony Orchestra |
Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz Wolfgang Holzmair |
Decca | Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance |
| 1995 | Kurt Masur | Westminster Symphonic Choir, New York Philharmonic |
Sylvia McNair Håkan Hagegård |
Teldec | |
| 1996 | Philippe Herreweghe | La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale Gent, Orchestre des Champs-Élysées |
Christiane Oelze Gerald Finley |
Harmonia Mundi | |
| 1997 | Cristian Mandeal | Cluj-Napoca State Philharmonic Choir, George & Enescu Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra |
Ramona Eremia Gheorghe Crăsnaru |
Arte Nova LC 03480 | |
| 1998 | Frieder Bernius | Kammerchor Stuttgart, Klassiche Philharmonie Stuttgart |
Julia Borchert Michael Volle |
Carus | |
| 1999 | Craig Jessop | Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Utah Symphony |
Janice Chandler Nathan Gunn |
Telarc | English-language version by Robert Shaw |
| 2002 | Wolfgang Helbich | Bremer Domchor, Kammer-Sinfonie Bremen |
Siri Thornhill Klaus Mertens |
MDG | |
| 2002 | André Previn | London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra |
Harolyn Blackwell David Wilson-Johnson |
LSO Live (LSO 0005) | |
| 2003 | Gerd Albrecht | Danish National Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra |
Inger Dam-Jensen Bo Skovhus |
Chandos | |
| 2004 | Michel Corboz | Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, Ensemble Instrumental de Lausanne |
Christa Goetze Werner Lechte |
Virgin | |
| 2006 | Simon Rattle | Rundfunk Chor Berlin, Berlin Philharmonic |
Dorothea Röschmann Thomas Quasthoff |
EMI | recorded live; Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance |
| 2008 | Robert Spano | Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra |
Twyla Robinson Mariusz Kwiecień |
Telarc | |
| 2010 | Karl-Friedrich Beringer | Windsbacher Knabenchor, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin |
Juliane Banse Stephan Genz |
Sony | |
| 2010 | Nikolaus Harnoncourt | Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique |
Genia Kühmeier Thomas Hampson |
RCA Red Seal, 88697 720662 | |
| 2010 | Marek Janowski | Berlin Radio Choir, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Camilla Tilling Detlef Roth |
Pentatone PTC 5186361 | |
| 2010 | Yannick Nézet-Séguin | London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic |
Elizabeth Watts Stéphane Degout |
LPO 0045 | |
| 2010 | Valentin Radu | Ama Deus Ensemble | Tatyana Galitskaya Ed Bara |
Lyrichord LYR CD 6014 | |
| 2010 | Christian Thielemann | Bavarian Radio Choir, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra |
Christine Schäfer Christian Gerhaher |
Unitel Munich / C Major 703308 (DVD) | |
| 2010 | Valery Gergiev | Swedish Radio Choir, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra |
Solveig Kringelborn Mariusz Kwiecień |
BIS DVD 1750 | |
| 2011 | Hansjorg Albrecht | Munich Bach Choir, Munich Bach Orchestra |
Ruth Ziesak Konrad Jarnot |
Oehms OC 787 | |
| 2011 | Paavo Järvi | Swedish Radio Choir, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Natalie Dessay Ludovic Tézier |
Erato 6286100 | |
| 2012 | Johannes Fritzsch | Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra |
Nicole Car Teddy Tahu Rhodes |
ABC Classics 4764811 | |
| 2012 | John Eliot Gardiner | Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique |
Katharine Fuge Matthew Brook |
Soli Dei Gloria SDG 706 | |
| 2013 | Marin Alsop | Leipzig MDR Radio Choir, MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Anna Lucia Richter Stephan Genz |
Naxos 8.572996 | |
| 2013 | Philippe Herreweghe | Collegium Vocale Gent, Orchestre des Champs-Élysées |
Ilse Eerens Andrew Foster-Williams |
Chopin Institute NIFCDVD003 (DVD) | |
| 2014 | Valery Gergiev | London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra |
Sally Matthews Christopher Maltman |
LSO Live (LSO 0748) | |
| 2014 | Roderich Kreile | Dresdner Kreuzchor, Vocal Consort Dresden, Dresden Philharmonic |
Sibylla Rubens Daniel Ochoa |
Berlin Classics (0300569BC) | |
| 2014 | Helmuth Rilling | Gächinger Kantorei, Bach-Collegium Stuttgart |
Donna Brown Gilles Cachemaille |
Hänssler Classic HAEN91102 | |
| 2014 | Antoni Wit | Warsaw Philharmonic Choir, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra |
Christiane Libor Thomas E. Bauer |
Naxos (NX 3061) | |
| 2015 | Mariss Jansons | Netherlands Radio Choir, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra |
Genia Kühmeier Gerald Finley |
RCO Live RCO15003 | |
| 2016 | Jan Willem de Vriend | Rotterdam Symphony Chorus, Residentie Orchestra |
Renate Arends Thomas Oliemans |
Challenge Classics CC72738 | |
| 2019 | Daniel Harding | Swedish Radio Choir, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra |
Christiane Karg Matthias Goerne |
harmonia mundi (HMM902635) | |
| 2019 | Daniel Reuss | Capella Amsterdam, Orchestra of the 18th Century |
Carolyn Sampson André Morsch |
Glossa, GCD 921126 | |
| 2020 | Ralf Otto | Bachchor Mainz, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern |
Christina Gansch Matthias Winckhler |
Naxos (8574273) | |
| 2020 | Paavo Järvi | Latvian State Choir, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen |
Valentina Farcas Matthias Goerne |
C Major 753208 (DVD) | |
| 2023 | Ricardo Casero | Orquesta Reino de Aragón, Coro Amici Musicae |
Iwona Sobotka Isaac Galán |
Halidon 8030615164035 |
Additional recordings
Two-piano and timpani version by Brahms ('London 1871' version)
- accentus Chamber Choir; Sandrine Piau (soprano); Stéphane Degout (baritone); Brigitte Engerer, Boris Berezovsky (pianists); Laurence Equilbey (conductor). Coro Records (2006)
- King's College Choir; Evgenia Rubinova (soprano); José Gallardo (baritone); Stephen Cleobury (conductor). EMI (2006)
- The Sixteen; Julie Cooper (soprano); Eamonn Dougan (baritone); Gary Cooper, Christopher Glynn (pianists); Harry Christophers (conductor). Coro Records (2006)
- Vasari Singers; Claire Seaton (soprano); Colin Campbell (baritone); Jeremy Filsell, Roderick Chadwick (pianists); Jeremy Backhouse (conductor). Guild GMCD7302 (2007)
- WDR Rundfunkchor Köln; Simone Nold (soprano), Kay Stiefermann (baritone), Ian Pace, Mark Knoop (piano), Peter Stracke (timpani); Rupert Huber (oonductor). Neos Classics NEOS30803 (2008)
- EuropaChorAkademie; Fionnuala McCarthy (soprano), Michael Volle (baritone), Jonathan Alder, Thorsten Kaldewei (pianists); Benjamin Heil (timpani); Joshard Daus (oonductor). Glor Classics GC09191 (2010)
- Rundfunkchor Berlin; Marlis Petersen (soprano), Konrad Jarnot (baritone); Philip Mayers, Philip Moll (pianists); Simon Halsey (conductor). Coviello COV41006 (2010)
- Maulbronner Kammerchor, Musica Sacra; Heidi Meier (soprano), Josef Wagner (baritone); GrauSchumacher Piano Duo; Jürgen Budday (conductor). K&K KuK105a (2012)
- Chorus Musicus Köln; Soile Isokoski (soprano), Andreas Schmidt (baritone); Andreas Grau, Gotz Schumacher (pianists); Christoph Spering (conductor). Naïve OP30140 (2012)
- Chorus sine nominee; Elena Copons (soprano), Adrian Eröd (baritone); Johanna Gröbner, Veronika Trisko (pianists); Johannes Hiemetsberger (conductor). Gramola 99014 (2014)
- Choir of King's College London; Mary Bevan (soprano), Marcus Farnsworth (baritone); James Bailieu, Richard Uttley (pianists); Joseph Fort (conductor). Delphian DCD34195 (2017; sung in English)
- Bella Voce; Michelle Areyzaga (soprano), Hugh Russell (baritone), Madeline Slettedahl, Craig Terry (pianists); Andrew Lewis (conductor). Naxos 8573952 (2019)
- Chorwerk Ruhr; Johanna Winkel (soprano), Krešimir Stražanac (baritone); Sebastian Breuing, Christoph Schnackertz (pianists); Florian Helgath (conductor). Coviello COV91905 (2019)
- Te Deum; Ida Nicolosi (soprano), Brian Ming Chu (baritone); Elisa Williams Bickers, Jan Kraybill (pianists); Matthew Christopher Shepard (conductor). Centaur CRC3647 (2019; sung in English)
Other arrangements
- Chamber ensemble arrangement by Iain Farrington: Yale Schola Cantorum; Natasha Schnur (soprano); Matt Sullivan (baritone); David Hill (conductor). Hyperion CDA68242 (2018)