London Symphony Orchestra: Szymanowski & Brahms
Two very different choral works about mourning take centre stage in this concert.
In one of Sir Simon Rattle’s farewell performances as Principal Conductor 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’s 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.
Supported by Dunard Fund and with endowed support from The Pirie Rankin Charitable Trust
With additional support from
Szymanowski Stabat Mater
Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Simon Rattle Conductor
Iwona Sobotka Soprano
Hanna Hipp Mezzo soprano
Florian Boesch Baritone
Edinburgh Festival Chorus
Aidan Oliver Chorus Director
Sopranos 1
Jan Brownhill, Lesley Bruce, Simona Cenci, Annette Chapman, Claire Christie, Louise Cunningham, Lisa Dawson, Maggie Gilchrist, Jenni Halliday, Clare Hewitt, Lorna Holl, Jill Kerr, Fiona McBryde, Louise McGregor, Morag Michael, Rosalind Scott-Douglas, Lynn Strang, Jennifer Swan, Catherine Taylor, Karen Traill, Lesley Walker
Sopranos 2
Emma Aitken, Anne Backhouse, Emily Borthwick, Susan Bowden, Rhona Brown, Deborah Buckingham, Esther Chuang, Kathryn Coad, Margaret Cumming, Rosamund Davidson, Dorothy Fairweather, Aileen Fraser, Carol Haley, Leila Inglis, Lesley Johnston, Maureen Kaye, Maggie Kinnes, Natsuko MacArthur, Janet McKenzie, Kathy Miller, Fiona Murray, Janette Myles, April Parkins, Kirsten Stuart, Ros Sutherland
Altos 1
Ruth Bowen, Barbara Brodie, Jessica Brown, Valerie Bryan, Yvonne Connell, Susan Crosby, Catherine Dunlop, Caroline Dunmur, Kirstie Fairnie, Emma Gosling, Rona Gray, Laura Hadley, Carol Leddy, Kirsten Leggatt, Jane MacLeod, Frances McGlashan, Linda McLauchlan, Fiona Milligan, Katharine Oyler, Nicola Stock, Christine Tait, Mary Taylor, Ruth Townsend, Sue Walker, Mairi White, Susan White, Brenda Williamson
Altos 2
Moira Allingham, Jeanette Bell, Alison Bolster, Anna Borbely, Dinah Bourne, Morag Campbell, Wendy Colquhoun, Ann Firth, Mary Gordon, Tori Graham, Anne Grindley, Linda Hunter, Louisa Leslie, Jan Livesley, Carol Madden, Frances McDevitt, Catriona McDonald, Marita McMillan, Janette Morrison, Lucy O'Leary, Judith Robertson, Jenny Ryall, Elspeth Smith, Jane Stansfield, Penny Stone
Tenors 1
David Arulanantham, Brenden Glen, Richard Hellewell, Matt Norriss, David Leaver, Alex Rankine, Ian Stuart, Alistair Thom, Mike Towers, Eric Turnbull, Magnus Walker
Tenors 2
Richard Allison, Andrew Binnian, John Burnside, Graham Drew, Matthew Kimble, Sam Leggett, Martin McKean, James White
Basses 1
Mark Barton, Felix Boecking, Derek Calder, Peter Cannell, Malcolm Crosby, Martin Gray, John Halliday, Nick Harding, David Hewitson, Christopher Howarth, Andrew Hyder, Alastair Johnston, Ivor Klayman, Alistair Laird, Andrew Lyons, David Mack-Smith, Tom Marshall, Colin Miller, Andrew Moore, Graham Naysmith, Roger Robertson, Graham Scott, Chris Spencer
Basses 2
Ken Allen, Nick Balneaves, Philip Coad, Stephen Lipton, Sandy Matheson, Jack McChesney, John McLeod, Hamish Millar, Chris Morris, Andrew Scott, Martin Scott, Mike Smith, David Traill
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