Brahms' Requiem with Tucson Symphony Orchestra

Johannes Brahms's *Ein deutsches Requiem* is a sacred yet non-liturgical work for chorus, orchestra, and soloists, set to German Lutheran Bible texts. Composed between 1865 and 1868, it was inspired by the deaths of Brahms's mother and possibly Robert Schumann. The work focuses on comforting the living rather than praying for the dead, opening with the Beatitudes: 'Blessed are they that mourn.'

The Tucson Symphony Orchestra, under José Luis Gómez, performs this seven-movement masterpiece alongside the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus, soprano Brenda Rae, and baritone Edward Vogel. The orchestration includes woodwinds, brass, timpani, strings, harp, and organ, creating a rich, profound soundscape that has resonated since its 1868 premiere in Bremen.

Attendees can expect a deeply moving evening of choral and orchestral music, embodying Brahms's humanist approach to consolation. The work's structure is symmetrical, with the fourth movement at its heart describing the 'lovely dwellings' of the Lord, surrounded by movements that transition from anxiety to comfort.