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Conductor: James Savage-Hanford
Pianists: Alan Horsey & Robert Sudall

This concert is dedicated to the memory of Dr Simon Lindley who died on 25th February 2025 aged 76. Simon joined the choir as accompanist in 1994, and took over as conductor in 1997 until he retired in 2021. He is sadly missed by his many friends in the choir.

This substantial work is originally scored for a large orchestra, but Brahms also produced an arrangement for piano duet which we will be using for our performance. This will give it a more intimate feel which is very much in keeping with the nature of the work.

Brahms chose not to set the traditional liturgical texts in his Requiem, instead selecting various passages from the Bible with a general theme of comfort and consolation. There are certainly none of the references to wrath and judgment found in many other Requiems. In fact there is often more focus on the living than on the dead!

The result is a piece of sublime and beautiful choral music which is understated and positive.

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