Brahms German Requiem

Monday, October 29, 2012

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On November 10th, The Priory Singers will perform Johannes Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem at St John the Baptist Church, Risca Road, Newport. The Requiem is a wonderful, epic piece but a stern challenge for any choir, let alone one with the select numbers at the Priory Singers disposal.

The German Requiem is one of the great choral masterpieces of all time. Brahms' writing leads the listener, and the performers, through the full range of emotions, contrasting the quiet and melodic (Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen) with the strident and passionate (Tod, wo ist dein Stachel?).

This performance of the Requiem features an arrangement for piano by the composer. Brahms made a piano transcription of the orchestral parts of his magnificent Requiem for two players, allowing a degree of intimacy, precision and contrapuntal clarity that cannot be achieved in the orchestral version;

The piano duet on this occasion will be Christopher Knott and Rhiannon Davies and the soloists will be Soprano Samantha Thomas and Baritone Christian John Jenkins.

Rheinberger's Abendlied and Mendelssohn's Verleih uns Frieden complete the programme.

Tickets are available from the choir's website priorysingers.org or by telephoning 01633 420183.