7:30pm Sunday 10 April 2022
Bollington Arts Centre
The last time the Choir sang before Lockdown in March 2020 it was joined by friends for a Singing Day devoted to Brahms’ Requiem, one of the most beautiful, uplifting and popular of all choral works. Two days later, meeting and singing together became impossible.
Eighteen months later, the Choir was back in action ahead of four events in December – a concert, Messiah for All, a carol service at St Oswald’s and outdoor carols for the Medical Centre. Rehearsals for Brahms’ Requiem began in January with some new members attracted by the chance to sing a favourite of singers and audiences alike. Rather than the usual Latin words of most Requiem settings, Brahms chose Biblical texts, originally in German but the Choir will sing in an English translation.
Later, he made his own accompaniment for piano duet, so the work could be performed in more intimate settings. Brahms created a unique work that ranks alongside the settings of the Latin text by Mozart and Verdi. The seven movements form an arch, at the centre of which is its best known chorus How lovely are Thy dwellings. Brahms is considered by many to be the greatest composer of his age, and here he runs the gamut of
emotions from prayer to praise, from reflectively tender moments to breath-taking fugues.
The soprano and baritone soloists are Olwyn Bloor and Steve Thorpe: pianists Rosalind Hall and James Pelham: conductor Donald Judge.
In the first half of the concert, Rosalind and James will perform one of the greatest works for piano duet – Schubert’s Fantasia in F minor: and baritone Mike Bell, whose recitals of Schubert’s Winterreise and Die Schöne Müllerin delighted Arts Centre audiences in 2017 and 2019, will sing solo songs by Brahms.
Tickets £10 (£3 aged 18 and under)
Reserve tickets on 01625 575554 or email bollfestchoir@gmail.com