Henley Choral Society Spring Concert

Alison Langer, soprano

Ross Ramgobin, baritone

Richard Harker, conductor

City of London Sinfonia

Brahms Ein Deutsches Requeim

Richard Strauss Four Last Songs

Barber Adagio for Strings

Henley Choral Society return to The Concert Hall with a star-studded concert, accompanied by the City of London Sinfonia.

Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem is a superbly tender work inspired by the deaths of two people dear to Brahms, his mentor Robert Schumann and his mother. Brahms was concerned with consoling the living - it is this spiritual empathy that makes what he called his “human Requiem” so moving for us today. It moves from grief and transience to consolation and hope. Strauss’ Four Last Songs weave radiant orchestral colours with serene reflections on life’s end, offering a luminous farewell where soprano voice and orchestra merge in timeless, transcendent beauty. Perhaps one of the most recognised pieces of music in the world, Barber’s Adagio for Strings’ long, lyrical lines and emotional depth have made it beloved by audiences and a favourite for use in film and television scores.