German Requiem Op. 45

SKU: BR.OB-16109-11

ISBN 9790004347362. 10 x 12.5 inches.

The German Requiem is one of the world's most famous requiems, even though it does not set the customary requiem text to music. Brahms did not want to follow the Latin Catholic funeral mass, addressing the Last Judgment's terror and sinful human beings' redemption through death on the cross. His attention, on the contrary, was on Biblical texts that focus on human transience and comfort: comfort to the bereaved and comfort to all who fear death. To some extent, it could be called the epitome of Brahms's work. In the relevant volume of the new Brahms Complete Edition, on which this new practical edition is based, editors Michael Musgrave and Michael Struck clear up all sorts of legends, errors, and erroneous readings. Brahms's subsequent minor compositional changes are taken into account, poor decisions in previous editions are corrected, and the Bible texts sung contain writing and meaning corrections. In addition, the texts elucidate many myths about the composition's origin. Thus, this Urtext edition creates a fresh perspective on the People's Requiem, as Brahms would have preferred to call the composition. This new B&H publication is extremely good value, and it really does breathe new life into an old master. The pages of the full score are delightfully easy on the eye. The edition's visual effect is precise, lucid, and sympathetic - as, indeed, a good performance of Brahms's choral masterpiece should be.(Jeremy Summerly, Choir & Organ)

authoritative music text based on the current state of research; erroneous traditional readings corrected; orchestra material tried and tested; new piano vocal score (compact engraving, clear legibility).

SKU: BR.OB-16109-16

ISBN 9790004347386. 10 x 12.5 inches.

The German Requiem is one of the world's most famous requiems, even though it does not set the customary requiem text to music. Brahms did not want to follow the Latin Catholic funeral mass, addressing the Last Judgment's terror and sinful human beings' redemption through death on the cross. His attention, on the contrary, was on Biblical texts that focus on human transience and comfort: comfort to the bereaved and comfort to all who fear death. To some extent, it could be called the epitome of Brahms's work. In the relevant volume of the new Brahms Complete Edition, on which this new practical edition is based, editors Michael Musgrave and Michael Struck clear up all sorts of legends, errors, and erroneous readings. Brahms's subsequent minor compositional changes are taken into account, poor decisions in previous editions are corrected, and the Bible texts sung contain writing and meaning corrections. In addition, the texts elucidate many myths about the composition's origin. Thus, this Urtext edition creates a fresh perspective on the People's Requiem, as Brahms would have preferred to call the composition. This new B&H publication is extremely good value, and it really does breathe new life into an old master. The pages of the full score are delightfully easy on the eye. The edition's visual effect is precise, lucid, and sympathetic - as, indeed, a good performance of Brahms's choral masterpiece should be.(Jeremy Summerly, Choir & Organ)

authoritative music text based on the current state of research; erroneous traditional readings corrected; orchestra material tried and tested; new piano vocal score (compact engraving, clear legibility).

SKU: BR.OB-16109-19

ISBN 9790004347393. 10 x 12.5 inches.

The German Requiem is one of the world's most famous requiems, even though it does not set the customary requiem text to music. Brahms did not want to follow the Latin Catholic funeral mass, addressing the Last Judgment's terror and sinful human beings' redemption through death on the cross. His attention, on the contrary, was on Biblical texts that focus on human transience and comfort: comfort to the bereaved and comfort to all who fear death. To some extent, it could be called the epitome of Brahms's work. In the relevant volume of the new Brahms Complete Edition, on which this new practical edition is based, editors Michael Musgrave and Michael Struck clear up all sorts of legends, errors, and erroneous readings. Brahms's subsequent minor compositional changes are taken into account, poor decisions in previous editions are corrected, and the Bible texts sung contain writing and meaning corrections. In addition, the texts elucidate many myths about the composition's origin. Thus, this Urtext edition creates a fresh perspective on the People's Requiem, as Brahms would have preferred to call the composition. This new B&H publication is extremely good value, and it really does breathe new life into an old master. The pages of the full score are delightfully easy on the eye. The edition's visual effect is precise, lucid, and sympathetic - as, indeed, a good performance of Brahms's choral masterpiece should be.(Jeremy Summerly, Choir & Organ)

authoritative music text based on the current state of research; erroneous traditional readings corrected; orchestra material tried and tested; new piano vocal score (compact engraving, clear legibility).

SKU: BR.OB-16109-27

ISBN 9790004347416. 10 x 12.5 inches.

The German Requiem is one of the world's most famous requiems, even though it does not set the customary requiem text to music. Brahms did not want to follow the Latin Catholic funeral mass, addressing the Last Judgment's terror and sinful human beings' redemption through death on the cross. His attention, on the contrary, was on Biblical texts that focus on human transience and comfort: comfort to the bereaved and comfort to all who fear death. To some extent, it could be called the epitome of Brahms's work. In the relevant volume of the new Brahms Complete Edition, on which this new practical edition is based, editors Michael Musgrave and Michael Struck clear up all sorts of legends, errors, and erroneous readings. Brahms's subsequent minor compositional changes are taken into account, poor decisions in previous editions are corrected, and the Bible texts sung contain writing and meaning corrections. In addition, the texts elucidate many myths about the composition's origin. Thus, this Urtext edition creates a fresh perspective on the People's Requiem, as Brahms would have preferred to call the composition. This new B&H publication is extremely good value, and it really does breathe new life into an old master. The pages of the full score are delightfully easy on the eye. The edition's visual effect is precise, lucid, and sympathetic - as, indeed, a good performance of Brahms's choral masterpiece should be.(Jeremy Summerly, Choir & Organ)

authoritative music text based on the current state of research; erroneous traditional readings corrected; orchestra material tried and tested; new piano vocal score (compact engraving, clear legibility).

SKU: CA.2408600

Language: English.

Helmuth Rilling has performed Brahms' German Requiem many times as a conductor. Drawing on his intimate knowledge of the score, in this book he examines the question of what Brahms wanted to express with his work, and which means he used to achieve this. Rilling vividly describes how the composer structured the movements, which themes and motifs he devised and developed, which harmonic approaches he adopted, and how he enabled the meaning of the text to come alive with his themes centered around mourning and comfort. So a spontaneous, emotional experiencing of the music can be accompanied by informed listening. Valuable suggestions for musicians who want to perform the German Requiem, drawn from the author's profound knowledge of the work, round off the publication. Following on from the enthusiastic reception of the German-language original edition (Carus 24.076), the book is now available in an English translation by Greta Konradt.