Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) poured his creative soul into this music on which he worked sporadically from 1861 to 1868. It is not so much a religious or liturgical Mass in the usual application of a Requiem, but rather a work offering solace to the bereaved. And as such, conductor Edward Gardner goes a long way here to bring out the music's tenderness and benignity, by bringing to the surface its sumptuous harmonic weave.

Combining the forces of three choirs, the Bergen Philharmonic Choir, the Edvard Grieg Kor, and the Choir of Collegium Musicum bolsters the textural richness of the score as well. Something clearly brought to the fore during the opening Ziemlich langsam und mit Ausdruck, where Gardner achieves perfect balance between orchestra and voices. The fire and brimstone of the following Langsam, marschmaessig may not be as earthshakingly powerful as other interpretations I've heard, but again the perfectly balanced sonics of choir and orchestra attain harmonic nirvana.

In keeping with the usual Chandos audio engineering standards, the soundstage is wide and deep, positioning the listener in the acoustical sweet spot. Both soprano Johanna Wallroth and baritone Brian Mulligan bring committed singing to the score without falling prey to the hackneyed overuse of operatic gestures and overtones afflicting so many other singers these days. In other words, a German Requiem performed in true Germanic manner and hallowed reverence.