Brahms’ Requiem – Dec. 7th 2013
A Saturday evening concert in Sunderland Minster, conducted by David Murray.
Soloists : Jessica Holmes (soprano), Richard Gooding (baritone), and Venera Bojkova & Eileen Bown (piano).
Tickets are £12.00 (£6 concession for full time students and those on income related benefits) and accompanied children under 16 admitted free. Tickets obtainable via this website or info@bishopwearmouth.co.uk of from on-line ticketing at http://wegottickets.com/BCS
A German Requiem, To Words of the Holy Scripture, Op. 45 by Johannes Brahms is a large-scale work for chorus, and a soprano and a baritone soloist, composed between 1865 and 1868. It comprises seven movements and is sacred but non-liturgical. In contrast to the traditional Roman Catholic Requiem Mass in Latin, it is based on the German Luther Bible and sung in German. It does not begin with prayers for the dead but focuses on the living, beginning with the text “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” This theme – transition from anxiety to comfort – recurs in most of the movements. Brahms’ mother died in February 1865 and it may be that this loss, which caused him much grief, may well have inspired Ein Deutsches Requiem. An alternative version of the work was prepared by Brahms to be performed with four hands on one piano. This version also incorporates the vocal parts, suggesting that it was intended as a self-contained version probably for at-home use – and it will be in this way that this performance will be given.
The first part of the concert will also include :
Schumann: Four Songs Op. 24
Morgens steh’ ich auf
Schöne Wiege meiner Leiden
Anfangs wollt’ ich fast verzagen
Mit Myrten und Rosen
performed by Richard Gooding and David Murray
Three piano pieces from Brahms Op.118
No 2 Intermezzo in A Major
No.5 Romanze in F
No. 6 Intermezzo In Eb Minor
performed by David Murray
Peter Cornelius : Four Christmas Songs Op. 8, Nos 1,2,5 and 6 for Soprano Clarinet and Piano
Weihnachtslieder- Christbaum (The Christmas Tree)
Die Hirten (The Shepherds)
Christus der Kinderfreund (Christ the Children’s friend)
Christkind (The Christ Child)
performed by Jessica Holmes, Jennifer Murray and David Murray
