The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Marin Alsop, will join forces with the 140 voices of the Washington Chorus, under the direction of Julian Wachner, on Thursday as they present Brahms’ iconic “German Requiem,” which concludes the BSO season at Strathmore.
If you go
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Classical Concert: Brahms’ ‘German Requiem’
Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
When: 8 p.m. Thursday
Info: $25 to $80; 301-581-5100; strathmore.org
Soprano Janice Chandler Eteme, whose voice the Baltimore Sun describes as “one of the loveliest soprano voices on Earth,” is featured along with the strong voice of baritone Stephen Powell. Brahms’ “German Requiem” is a large-scale production widely regarded as the composer’s deepest and most contemplative work. It was written as a memorial to his mother, Christina Brahms, and his mentor, composer Robert Schumann.
“The [‘Requiem’] is rapidly becoming one of my favorites; it’s absolutely gorgeous,” said Catherine Davies, a soprano with the Washington Chorus who said she looks forward to the opportunity of working with Alsop. “Many people more intelligent and more musically educated than I have written about it, but for me, Brahms evokes grief so expressively that the hope for salvation, when it comes, is sublime.”
Composition and musical performance served as Brahms’ outlet for dealing with grief, much to the comfort of his listeners decades after his own death. In the “Requiem’s” first movement, “Blessed are they who mourn,” the double bass, coupled with violas and cellos, provides a dark, mournful sound that continues up to the last movement. Here, in “Blessed are the dead,” a harp symbolizes joy over sadness, hope over despair.
The “Requiem’s” full and majestic sound is not without its challenges for the chorus.
“There are a number of very tricky fugues — every iteration of the theme is slightly different along the way, so you can never go on autopilot,” Davies said. “Overall the piece is a very ‘big sing,’ requiring tons of energy all the way from the deceptively simple opening chord to the final benediction.”
Also on the program is Barber’s composition “Knoxville: Summer of 1915.” The piece is filled with his recollections of innocence overshadowed by the grim reality of his father’s death. The piece concludes with a sense of triumph over grief.
“The ‘German Requiem,’ coupled with Samuel Barber’s idyllic, nostalgic evocation of a summer in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1915, closes the BSO’s season at Strathmore in gentle, reflective mode,” said Paul Meecham, the symphony’s president and chief executive officer.
