Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 3 p.m.

Bachgrounder lecture 35 minutes before each performance

We open with Brahms’ brief but intense and searching Schicksalslied—Song of Destiny. We then offer the composer’s Ein deutsches Requiem, the most healing music we know. Rather than setting to music the traditional Mass for the Dead, Brahms chose his own selection of biblical texts, with special emphasis upon comfort and hope for those who survive. The composer clearly intended his music to provide reassurance and solace even in the midst of profound sorrow. Joachim Linckelmann’s wonderful editions for reduced orchestra allow us to perform these great works at a scale appropriate to our beloved Schroeder Hall, an ideal venue in which to experience the direct spiritual appeal of this extraordinary music.