Brahms / Busoni: Herzlich Tut Mich Verlangen Op. 122 No. 10 - Paul Jacobs, 1979 - Nonesuch N5-71375

Paul Jacobs (June 22, 1930 - September 25, 1983) was an American pianist.
Some context: Op. 122 (11 chorales) is the last set of works composed by Brahms.
"Herzlich tut mich verlangen" (I do desire dearly) is a German hymn, with lyrics written in 1599 by Christoph Knoll, with a melody adapted from a secular song by Hans Leo Hassler. It is a prayer for a blessed death, beginning "Herzlich tut mich verlangen nach einem sel'gen End" (I do desire dearly a blessed end). Its hymn tune, Zahn No. 5385a, was later also used for Paul Gerhardt's "Befiehl du deine Wege" and "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden". Johann Sebastian Bach used the hymn in his chorale prelude, BWV 727, and for his Weimar cantata Komm, du süße Todesstunde, BWV 161.
Following are the lyrics to the first chorus of the original chorale upon which this work is based; JS Bach for his part instructed that the words (to five of the eleven choruses) were to be printed in bold type (thereby conveying Bach's own sentiments, which of course he could not express overtly given the social and religious milieu in which he existed.) Given Brahms' obsession with death, and what we know about him as a person, and the fact that many of those to whom he was close had died around the time he composed Op. 122 (following Clara Schumann’s funeral in 1896) it's reasonable to conclude that he felt similarly.
"O Head full of blood and wounds,
full of pain and full of derision,
O Head, in mockery bound
with a crown of thorns,
O Head, once beautifully adorned
with the most honour and adornment,
but now most dishonoured:
let me greet you!"

[@j.g.6085]

A wonderful experience

[@MrTS53321]

One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever composed

[@schubertuk]

Wow! That was a revelation. Deeply moving. Not heard this Busoni arrangement before.

[@Sincebrassnorstone]

I learned to love these pieces from this recording.
Thank you for sharing this with us TH-cam landers❤🙏

[@mmbmbmbmb]

Paul Jacobs ~ so convincingly expressing the meaning of this fine piece ~ thank you!

[@messrtwinky]

A deeply moving experience -- easily accessible and understood by those whose recognition of the intense constancy of life is steadied by a bass line. Overlayered throughout with a beautiful melody and its configurations issuing from the center, interwoven and overlaid with intensely painful harmonies. They are so magnificently beautiful and mystical as to be painful. Embraced to one's heart, not discarded as "wasted time." Nothing is wasted. Every disappointment of our past will be redeemed by His holy touch. It is said. Thank you so much, David, for this breath of holiness.

[@jimmorrison4ever529]

So basically, you had a Zen experience... I don't know why period music brings out bizarre character traits in its listeners, but suddenly verbalizing thoughts like you're right out of a Jane Austen novel isn't how these composers talked. They were human - and in the music conservatory (I'm a concert pianist) we chain smoke cigarettes and laugh it up in the practice rooms.

[@messrtwinky]

​@@jimmorrison4ever529
You demonstrate an inability to express original thoughts or impressions of this performance. What a waste of space to criticize and interpret (incorrectly) the personal experience of another. You embarrass yourself.

[@CarbonPhysics]

Another treasure that is rarely heard performed, thank you.

[@likie]

Beautiful intimacy and privacy are rampant. Paul Jacob plays nothing in a hurry, not overdone
Excellent programming, overwhelming performance Thanks, David!

[@kangchenjunga591]

A beautiful discovery, so similar to Bach’s Chorale Preludes. Listen to Kit Armstrong doing this, although it’s a tad too fast.

[@someonerandomhere]

There's actually a mistake on the Busoni transcription: on bar 15, in the very beginning of 3rd beat, left hand, there should be a natural sign on B, otherwise it would be played B flat because of the previous B flat. And there's no B flat in the Brahms original there, it's B natural and G sharp only!
Something one might tell from the B natural on the right hand, but still. Only caught it cause I'm learning it XD

[@terryleebo]

This song has verve.