Ein deutsches Requiem

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Ein deutsches Requiem (English: A German Requiem) is a large-scale choral work written by Johannes Brahms in 1868; it is Brahms' Op. 45.

In contrast to the usual requiem, which is in Latin, Ein deutsches Requiem is based on German texts from Martin Luther's Bible. It does not have the formal liturgical structure of a requiem, but is rather a meditation on mortality. The traditional liturgy consists of prayers for the dead; in Ein deutsches Requiem the emphasis is on comforting the living.

It is considered one of Brahms' major works—requiring about seventy minutes to perform, it is his longest single composition—and an important piece of Western classical music.

The work is scored for two solo vocalists (soprano and baritone), orchestra, chorus, and organ ad lib and is in seven movements:

Selig sind, die da Leid tragen (Blessed are they that mourn)
Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras (For all flesh is as grass)
Herr, lehre doch mich (Lord, make me to know mine end)
Wie lieblich sind Deine Wohnungen (How lovely is thy dwelling place)
Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit (And ye now therefore have sorrow)
Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt (For here have we no lasting home)
Selig sind die Toten, die in dem Herrn sterben (Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord)

The first complete performance was in 1869. Brahms published a piano arrangement of the work for four hands for performance in London some years later.

Notable CD Recordings

Otto Klemperer conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra (England). Recorded in 1961 and released in 1999 by EMI Classics.
Philippe Herreweghe conducting the Orchestre des Champs Elysees (France). Recorded live in 1996 and released in 1996 by Harmonia Mundi.
Craig Jessop conducting the Utah Symphony Orchestra (U.S.A) & Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Recorded February 1999 and released in October 1999 by Telarc. Recorded in English.
Andre Previn conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (England). Recorded in 1986 and released in 2002 by Apex.
Kurt Masur conducting the New York Philharmonic (U.S.A.). Recorded live in 1995 and released in 1995 by Teldec.
Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Germany). Released in 1995 by Orfeo.
Rafael Kubelik conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Recorded live in 1978 and released in 2002 by Audite.
Claudio Abbado conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Germany). Recorded live in 1992 and released in 1993 by Deutsche Grammophon.
Frieder Bernius conducting the Stuttgart Classical Philharmonic Orchestra (Germany). Recorded in 1997 and released in 2002 by Carus-verlag.
Carl Schuricht conducting the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (Germany). Recorded in 1959 and released in 2004 by Hanssler Classic.
Gerd Albrecht conducting the Danish National Orchestra (Denmark). Released in 2003 by Chandos.

Media

[Movement 4] ([file info])
Problems playing the files? See .

External links

[Notes on Ein deutsches Requiem] from the Loudoun Symphony
[Original text and English translation of Ein Deutsches Requiem]

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