Brahms's deeply moving Alto Rhapsody is one of the glories of the choral repertoire. Though it was written as a wedding song for the daughter of his friend Clara Schumann, the work clearly seems a deeply personal one for Brahms. Perhaps, as some have suggested, a melancholy reflection on his own solitary life. This great concert favorite is based on portions of the text of Goethe's Harzreise im Winter (Winter Journey in the Harz Mountains), and set for alto solo, men's chorus, and orchestra. In addition to the Alto Rhapsody, this volume contains three other major Brahms choral works: the Song of Destiny, a setting of a poem by Hölderlin: Nänie, a dirge for Brahms's friend Anselm Feuerbach, set to a text by Schiller: and Song of the Fates, set to passages from Act IV of Goethe's Iphigenie auf Tauris. All four works have been reprinted from the authoritative edition published by Breitkopf

One of the most moving of all the musical settings of the Passion of Christ, and one of the most frequently performed of all religious choral works, relating and commenting upon Christ's crucifixion, death and resurrection.

Mozart composed religious music regularly from his early years and here in Full Score format are six of his most famous and admired mass settings: Coronation Mass In C K. 317; The Grand Mass in C Minor K. 427; Missa Brevis In F K. 192; Missa Longa in C K. 262 Missa Brevis in C K. 258 and Missa Solemnis in C K. 337.