Brent Singers and soloists directed by Matthew Searles perform Brahms’ Requiem (in German) at 3pm at Stover School, Jubilee Hall, Newton Abbot TQ12 6QG. Brent Singers and Matthew Searles are joined by Catherine Luke (soprano) and Julian Rippon (baritone), with pianists Ben Horden and David Davies, and will perform Brahms’ own version of the work for chorus with piano duet rather than the original orchestral scoring. Brahms Requiem is one of the great choral masterpieces of all time and a cornerstone in the choral work repertoire. He assembled the libretto (text) from Luther’s German translation of the Bible, rather than the standard Latin liturgical requiem. It is thought to have been inspired by the death of his friend and mentor, composer Robert Schumann, and then later completed as a farewell to his mother following her death in 1865. Brahms explained that he wrote his requiem to comfort the living, rather than for souls of the dead. It has been said that it is a musical anthem for our time with grand social and political reverberations, designed to make a difference in a conflicted world; perhaps particularly relevant today. The event will be followed by a Devon Cream Tea. Tickets are available at £15 (£5 concessions) including cream tea via www.wegottickets.com/event/574651/. See www.brentsingers.org.uk/ and below for more about Brent Singers.