Rotherhithe and Bermondsey Choral Society - A German Requiem by Brahms

151 years and 3 days after the complete (almost - a movement was added a month later - ) A German Requiem was premiered in Bremen Cathedral (with Brahms himself conducting it), the Rotherhithe and Bermondsey Choral Society will be performing it in St James' Church in Bermondsey. That first performance was a huge success and was a turning point in Brahms's career. The choir invites you to join them for this more recent arrangement for chamber orchestra.

The choir will be performing it in its original German language, which Brahms (1833 - 1897) took from the German Luther Bible, although it seems clear that for Brahms this was a humanist rather than a Christian work. "Rather than dwelling on the judgment of the deceased, he seemed intent on consoling those left behind. ...This human focus, as well as the work’s freedom from angry religious judgment, makes it easy to seize on in our more vaguely spiritual time." New York Times, 2017. Brahms was friends with and admired both Schumann and Schubert, and had a great love of gypsy-style music.

He composed this work originally for a vast 200-strong choir and accompanying orchestra. Theirs will be an arrangement that dates from 2010, for a chamber orchestra.

A German Requiem is a fantastically romantic score with long phrases that rise and fall like waves on the ocean. In this work Brahms achieved the greatest number of sound combinations and variations.

The performance is unticketed, donations are welcome.