A German Requiem, op.45,
Johannes Brahms
April 15 & 16, 2027 | 7:30 PM
Tennessee Theatre
When Brahms was 21 years old, he attempted to write his first symphony. It was a disaster. He suffered from extreme insecurity and a fear that nothing he could ever write would be a worthy successor to the symphonies of Beethoven. So he shelved the work until, a few years later, he decided to use parts of it in his First Piano Concerto. But this concerto was such a flop with contemporary audiences that he gave up writing largescale orchestra works altogether.
It took the death of both Brahms’ mother, Christiane, and his beloved mentor, Robert Schumann, to shake Brahms out of his self-doubt. He was determined to write a requiem for chorus and orchestra that would adequately reflect the magnitude of emotions he felt at the time. From the outset, it was to be a work of grand proportions and unprecedented originality. The title "A German Requiem" signals right away that this is a different sort of piece. This is not the requiem of Roman Catholic tradition, sung in Latin. Rather it is a requiem that draws from an assemblage of biblical texts focused on spiritual healing, sung in colloquial German. In this way, Brahms offers us a requiem designed to give comfort to the living, instead of a prescribed prayer for the departed. At its premiere in 1868, Brahms finally found the triumph he sought. His Requiem not only achieved great international success, but also triggered a shift in maturity that was to mark Brahms’ work and career from then on.
Neither a mass nor strictly an oratorio, Brahms’ Requiem is a unique creation divided into seven movements. Over the course of these movements, the listener is taken on a search for enlightenment, beginning with the mourning process and ending with an ultimate promise of eternal peace. But it is the journey that fulfills us, not its destination.
Hear Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem live with the Knoxville Choral Society — a comforting, powerful work sung by full choir and orchestra. Enjoy rich harmonies, soaring choral moments, and quiet, reflective passages, with professional soloists and a chamber orchestra.
Whether you’re experienced or new to large-scale choral music, this concert is a moving, high-quality musical evening shared with a dedicated community.