Brahms' Requiem - St Oswald's Church

About

The Durham Singers' next concert 'Brahms' Requiem', which will take place on Saturday 8 November 2025, at St Oswald's Church, Durham, at 7.30pm, presents glimpses of love in Brahms' life (1833–1897).

We begin the concert by singing Clara Schumann's 'Abendfeier in Venedig' ('Evening celebration in Venice'). Written as the first of Drei gemischte Chöre ('Three mixed choruses'), the piece reminds us of the close friendship between Clara and Brahms. Next we sing Brahms' exquisite cantata Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), often dubbed 'Little Requiem', arranged for four-part chorus and four-handed piano.

The centrepiece of the evening is the chamber version (with four-handed piano arranged by the composer) of Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem, with Alison Gill and David M Harris as the accompanists. The Requiem, premiered in 1868, was likely inspired by the death of Brahms' mentor Robert Schumann in 1856 and his own mother in 1865. The first performance of Brahms' Requiem included a well-known aria 'I know that my Redeemer liveth' from Handel's Messiah, which will be sung by our soprano soloist Ana Dias. Our baritone soloist is Joshua Lane.

Our striking image is from Arnold Böcklin's 1883 painting 'Isle of the Dead'; Brahms greatly admired this Swiss symbolist painter's work.
Join us for an intimate and moving evening, exploring destiny, mourning and hope.