German Requiem (Breitkopf & Härtel Edition.): Partitur für Chor (Dover Vocal Scores)Taschenbuch
Many composers-Mozart, Verdi, Durufle, Faure-have written settings of the requiem, the Roman Catholic mass for the dead, and the listener can find a score for every taste, from the bombastic to the reflective. In this 1865 composition, Johannes Brahms took a different tack. Instead of using the familiar texts of the Latin Mass, Brahms chose to write a German requiem with a decidedly evangelical tack. Using texts from the German translation of the Bible-beginning with a phrase from the Beatitudes and ending with the Revelation of St. John the Divine (" Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord ? ") Brahms created one of the most comforting works of its kind ever written. ( There are few greater evocations of heavenly bliss than No. 4, the chorus sung in English as " How lovely is thy dwelling place. ") You can see how he did it with this full orchestral score from Dover. Dover scores are short on bells and whistles-not to mention English translations-but if your primary interest is in the music and how it was put together, you will find this a valuable tool at a bargain price.
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