Sir Simon Rattle: Szymanowski and Brahms

Two very different choral works about mourning take centre stage in this concert.

The Programme

In one of Sir Simon Rattle’s farewell performances as Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra, two very different choral works take centre stage. First, the Stabat Mater by Karol Szymanowski spotlights the Polish composer’s fantastical musical imagination, influenced by the cultures of the Mediterranean, north Africa and ancient Greece. His Stabat Mater is exotic and sensual, while also reflecting his own profound faith. Alongside the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Iwona Sobotka (soprano), Hanna Hipp (alto) and Florian Boesch (baritone) carry the challenging solos.

Johannes Brahms’ uplifting Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) is just as unconventional. Instead of setting the traditional Latin Requiem, Brahms chose Lutheran German texts that offer a consoling outlook on mourning. This was one of his breakthrough works, inspired by the deaths of his mother and, earlier, his mentor, Robert Schumann. In this music, sorrow meets serenity and offers us a promise of healing.

The London Symphony Orchestra Residency is supported by Dunard Fund

Endowed support from The Pirie Rankin Charitable Trust

With additional support from the Polish Cultural Institute London

Header Image © Mark Allan