Ein deutsches Requiem

Synopsis

“Rather than a German Requiem, I should have called it a ‘human requiem’.” Brahms’s words reveal much about the universal character of his celebrated work. The Wiener Philharmoniker under the baton of the great Herbert von Karajan presents a performance of appropriate subtlety and timelessness. Brahms’s Requiem is different from the traditional mass for the dead in numerous ways: the words are in German and not in Latin, and the texts—drawn from Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible—emphasize life’s peaceful conclusion rather than making entreaties on behalf of deceased souls facing the Final Judgement. An incredibly hopeful Requiem whose all-inclusive message resonates through to the present day.

Additional Info

• No: 8562
• Composer: Johannes Brahms
• Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
• Orchestra: Wiener Philharmoniker; Wiener Singverein
• Artists: Kathleen Battle, José van Dam
• Production year: 1985
• Run time: 01:21:00
• Producers: Telemondial
• Format: HDTV 16:9