Royal Choral Society | Duruflé's Requiem and other works

The Royal Choral Society presents a concert of choral gems from the Romantic era, including favourite works by Brahms and Duruflé, and lesser known works from Schubert and Stenhammar.

Brahms’s much-loved Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, the fourth movement of his German Requiem, is a setting of Psalm 84: ‘How lovely is thy dwelling place’. His lyrical Liebeslieder (‘love song’) Waltzes for soloists and choir is accompanied by piano duet; Brahms’s own pianistic style touchingly characterises each of the short movements.

Schubert’s vocal quartet Gebet (‘Prayer’) is remarkable for its understated but deeply-inspired vocal and piano writing, and Stenhammar’s Vårnatt (‘Spring night’), is a favourite of Swedish choirs with its intense and uplifting final section.

In Duruflé’s Requiem, Gregorian chant is freely blended with rich harmonies, beauty and power – closer in spirit to Fauré than Verdi.

Interspersed between these works are the Romance and Tarantella from Rachmaninoff’s Suite for Two Pianos. Packed with his characteristically lush harmony and virtuosity, they represent the finest of the great pianist’s composing style.