The Bartholomew Consort is proud to present a performance of Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem as we come to the end of commemorations marking the passage of the Great War of 1914-1918
Musical Director JanJoost van Elburg, Soprano Esther Levin, Baritone Leo Selleck, Piano: Simon Over and James Longford

While Brahms called this work Requiem, it does not follow the usual sequence of a Requiem Mass. Instead he chose passages from the Bible which are more often used in relation to those who have yet to rest from their labours here on earth
The work is frequently performed with full orchestra, however at the request of his publisher, Brahms created a version of the score to be made available for chamber performance with piano accompaniment (four hands one piano).
This version of the work travelled to England for its British debut at a private residence in London, presented in English and without the Fifth Movement. Brahms himself conducted around 30 singers and two pianists at that event. The English translation used then has been lost, so we shall be singing the original German texts drawn from verses of the Lutheran Bible.

The Bartholomew Consort has been offering excellent performances of choral music in Oxford and throughout the UK and Western Europe since 2001 under its distinguished Musical Director JanJoost van Elburg.