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HNK Split

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Ivo Lipanović

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Nela Saric

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Thomas Tatzl

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HNK Split Orchestra

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HNK Split Choir

Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45 -  (A German Requiem)

Split

Croatia

Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45 Brahms

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A German Requiem

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Johannes Brahms: A German Requiem

Brahms dedicated many works to the field of vocal music. Here, we encounter compositions of varying scope, from folksongs and choirs to cantatas and oratorios. In the category of larger format pieces, we find the cantata "Rinaldo," "Song of Destiny," "Triumphal Song," "Nänie," and the magnificent "A German Requiem" (German: "Ein Deutsches Requiem"), one of the most beautiful works of modern sacred music. Brahms did not compose his requiem using the traditional text of the Latin Mass for the Dead. Instead, he selected several biblical passages and developed a series of deeply subjective meditations on death, transience, and eternity. In the "German Requiem," the juxtaposition of contrasts between the soloists and the choir, the simple, profoundly inventive beauty of the melody, and the tasteful use of polyphonic style, which sometimes reaches the strength and grandeur of Bach's monumentality (e.g., in the double fugue of the sixth movement), are particularly captivating.
Conductor's Word: Despite the unity of form and content, individual movements possess their own structural distinctiveness, tonal colors, and expression. For example, in the opening movement ("Blessed are they that mourn..."), the choir's singing is marked by the sound of deep strings (without violins), occasionally enlivened by the harp; it is followed by a mournful march (in triple meter) reminiscent of the inexorable certainty of death ("For all flesh is as grass..."), where the choir's unison is contrasted with the somber sarabande of the orchestra. After a comforting episode ("And now, saith the Lord..."), the movement concludes with the announcement of the trombones and the choir shouting "Redeemed of the Lord." In the third movement, the prayer of the soloist is taken over by the choir and develops into the famous fugue on the "Orgelpunkt" ("And the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God...") with deep strings, trombones, and timpani. The fourth movement is depicted with lyrical tenderness, heavenly blessed peace of woodwinds and violins, which continues into the fifth movement with the soprano solo and a special muted violin sound. The dramatic climax of the work is achieved in the sixth movement, where, after the choral introduction ("For here, we have no continuing city..."), St. Paul announces the miracle of redemption through the baritone solo. This is followed by the formidable scene of the Last Judgment and the victory over death and hell, leading to a solemn double fugue of praise. The seventh movement ("Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord...") coincides with the first movement, concluding the work with the same feelings of peace and consolation. - Maestro Ivo Lipanović

English

Johannes Brahms: Njemački rekvijem

Mnogo radova posvetio je Brahms području vokalne glazbe. Tu susrećemo skladbe nejednaka opsega, od popijevki i zbora do kantata i oratorijskih oblika. U skupini djela većeg formata nalaze se kantata Rinaldo, Pjesma sudbine, Pjesma trijumfa, Nänie i veličanstveni Njemački rekvijem (njem. Ein Deutsches Requiem), jedno od najljepših djela novije duhovne glazbe. Svoj rekvijem Brahms nije napisao na tradicionalni tekst latinske mise za mrtve. On je izabrao određen broj biblijskih ulomaka i na njima razvio niz duboko subjektivnih meditacija o smrti, prolaznosti i vječnosti. U Njemačkom rekvijemu privlači u prvom redu sretno nizanje kontrasta između solista i zbora, jednostavna, duboko invenciozna ljepota melodije i ukusna primjena polifonog stila koja katkada doseže i snagu i veličinu Bachove monumentalnosti (npr. u dvostrukoj fugi šestog stavka). 

 
Riječ dirigenta: Usprkos jedinstvu forme i sadržaja, pojedini stavci posjeduju vlastitu različitost strukture, tonskih boja i izražaja. Tako u uvodnom (Blago onima koji tuguju...) pjevanje zbora obilježava zvuk dubokih gudača (bez violina) ponekad oživljen harfom; slijedi žalosni marš (u trodobnoj mjeri) koji podsjeća na neumoljivu izvjesnost smrti ("Svaki je, naime, čovjek kao trava...") gdje se unisonu zbora suprotstavlja mukla sarabanda orkestra; nakon utješne epizode ("Prema tome, strpite se, braćo, do dolaska Gospodnjeg!) stavak završava, najavljen trombonima i zborom, klicanjem "Otkupljenicima Gospodnjim." U trećem stavku molitvu soliste preuzima zbor i razvija na kraju u čuvenu fugu na Orgelpunktu ("A duše su pravednika u ruci Božjoj...") u dubokim gudačima, trombonima i timpanima. Četvrti stavak oslikan je lirskom nježnosti, rajskim blaženim mirom drvenih puhača i violina koji se nastavlja i u petom sa sopranom solo i posebnim zvukom prigušenih violina. Dramatski vrhunac djela postignut je u šestom stavku gdje poslije marševskog uvoda zbora ("Jer ovdje nemamo trajnog grada...") Sv. Pavao preko baritona solo najavljuje čudo otkupljenja da bi strahovitom scenom Posljednjeg suda i pobjede nad smrću i paklom slijedila svečana dvostruka fuga "pohvalnica". Sedmi stavak ("Blago onima koji umiru u Gospodinu...") podudara se s prvim završavajući djelo jednakim osjećajima mira i utjehe. - mo. Ivo Lipanović

hrvatski

A German Requiem by Brahms, From (2023/2023), Conductor Ivo Lipanović, HNK, Split, Croatia

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