Bringing the power of opera to the concert platform, Mozart’s penultimate symphony is a passionate masterclass in tension and release. The darkly intense opening movement gives way to a lighter more lyrical Andante, and light and shade abound as a terse Minuet leads to a colourful Trio before the anguishingly turbulent finale ramps this masterpiece to a close.
In a gentle and deeply personal work, Brahms’ lyrically uplifting Requiem stands as one of the world’s greatest choral works. Written following the death of his mother and marking a turning point in his career, this non-liturgical but sacred Requiem stands in clear contrast to other well-known requiems based on the Latin Mass, like those of Verdi or Mozart. A powerful calm and serenity is marked with hope and spirituality which speaks on a truly human level that resonates with audiences as strongly today as when it was written.
