It is to the concert, and not to the liturgy, that Brahms intended his German Requiem. Written in German rather than Latin, the work bears the imprint of a double loss suffered by Johannes Brahms: that of his friend Robert Schumann in 1856 and that of his mother in 1865.
It is neither solemn nor funeral, but rather intimate and personal, as the texts of the fifth movement attest: «Like a man who comforts his mother, so I will console you». Brahms chooses texts in the Bible with a universal purpose: more than a mass of the dead, he offers us a meditation on the meaning of life. Moreover, he had thought to title his work «Human Requiem» rather than «German Requiem».
Hell is over after that. I have devoted myself to the noble task of making this immortal piece a pleasure for those who like to play in duet. Now this work cannot perish.” This is how Brahms expressed himself when he completed the version for four-handed piano in 1869, which will be presented on the occasion of the Belles Sorties.
Distribution
Soprano: Emanuela DUCORNEZ
Baritone: Florian BISBROUCK
Pianists: Magali BOURLET, Pierre BOURTEEL
Chœur Régional Hauts-de-France
Director: Éric DELTOUR
Duration: 1h15 without intermission
General audience
Bus: L 33 or L3 - nearby bike station
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