Experience The Healing Power Of Music with A German Requiem 1/21

"Blest are they who are sorrowful"
"For mortal flesh is as the grass"
"Lord, teach me to know the measure of my days on earth"
"How lovely is thy dwelling place"
"You now are sorrowful; " "For we have on earth no abiding place"
"Blessed are the dead"

These are the first lines of each of the seven movements of A German Requiem, carefully chosen by composer Johannes Brahms. This well-known choral masterwork was written by Brahms not as a rite for the deceased, like a traditional Latin Requiem, but to comfort the living, especially those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

In the words of Michael O'Neal:
"The piece... was written with an understanding that we live but a short time on this earth, and we grieve for those who leave this life before us. Brahms knew the sorrow experienced by those who grieve and he selected texts that provide comfort to the living in their time of loss. We have learned that often the individual grief we feel is more completely 'worked through' in a community, and...it is imperative that we encounter it in community. Perhaps that is one of the greatest gifts of music; especially live performance of music that is profound in its depth and meaning, for we experience it in community - a community of performers - a community of listeners - and a combined community of people this day, who mourn and remember. The Brahms Requiem offers us a chance to grieve together." The 150-voice MOS chorus will perform the Requiem in English, to fulfill the desire of Brahms to connect with his audience in offering his musical comfort.

Vocal soloists for this performance are Michelle Jarrell, Soprano and Brent Davis, Baritone. Accompaniment will be provided by Tom Alderman on Roswell UMC's 94-rank Möller pipe organ; Tom will be using a rarely-heard recent (2006) transcription arranged by Andrew Raiskums. At the beginning of the concert, Michael O'Neal will offer a 10-minute talk about Johannes Brahms and his "human requiem." The full event will last approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

Tickets are $15/$20 in advance and $20/$25 at the door. Click here to purchase tickets now. This concert was originally scheduled for October 2017; tickets purchased for the original date will be redeemable at the door on Sunday.

This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also receives support from its partner agency - the National Endowment for the Arts. Partial funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. MOS also receives support from the Audience Building Roundtable, an initiative of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

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