Sydney Philharmonia Choirs – Festival Chorus | Brahms’ German Requiem
25 October, 2025, Sydney Opera House, NSW
The German Requiem by Johannes Brahms is no ordinary Requiem – it is extraordinary! Unlike the Latin Requiem Masses by other composers, Brahms used appropriate text from the Lutheran Bible and composed exquisite music to comfort the grieving. He was not a religious man, but his music strikes chords of deeply felt humanity, especially when sung by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, conducted passionately by Brett Weymark at the Sydney Opera House.
Before the Requiem began, the choir and orchestra performed Deborah Cheetham Fraillon’s Acknowledgement of Country, Tarmi Nulay – Long time living here. This was an evocative work, sung in the Gadigal language, with trombones suggesting didgeridoos.
Unfortunately, there was no pause between it and the opening of Brahms’ Requiem, which somehow detracted from the hushed magic of the pianissimo opening. The choir seemed a bit boisterous, but this was perhaps due to their very large numbers (over 400 choristers joined the ‘Festival Chorus’ for this performance). This large choir worked well when the volume and passion increased.
The second movement opened with a sonorous funeral march, the low voices singing the lines “Denn alles Fleisch ist wie Gras” (“All Flesh is as Grass”) with wistful overtones. When the singing increased in volume, it became almost brutal in its urgency. This was counterbalanced by the lighter female voices singing “So seid nur geduldig, lieben Brüder” (“Therefore be patient, dear brothers”). The movement continued with an almost harrowing fugue of victory and joy, and ended with soothing notes.
Samuel Dundas sang the baritone solo in the third movement with beautiful intonation. The message of inescapable death, but hope in the Lord was echoed softly by the choir. The singing became more urgent with the intensity of the message, ending in another energetic contrapuntal fugue that almost rumbled in its power.
The fourth movement “Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen” (How lovely are your dwellings) was full of lyrical sweetness, with the choir bringing out its lilting rhythms, followed by uplifting proclamations of joy. It is no wonder that this movement is often performed on its own.
The highlight of the performance was, for me, when soprano, Cathy-Di Zhang, gracefully walked onto the stage, singing that she will comfort us like a mother. She sang in clear crystalline tones, without a score, and slowly walked the entire length of the stage, disappearing through the door at the other side. She was accompanied most delicately by the choir.
The dazzling 6th movement began with a mysterious and uneasy expression of impermanence, sung by the baritone and choir, and climaxed explosively with “Tod, wo its dein Stachel” (“Death where is the Sting”), followed by a joyful fugue “Herr du bist würdig zu nehmen Preis und Ehre und Kraft” (“Lord, You are worthy to receive glory, honour and power”). The choir sang expertly in full voice with the orchestra at top volume.
Then came the exquisite ending – a reflection of the opening, where the choir sang “Blessed are they that mourn” – they now sang “Blessed are the dead” in contemplative acceptance. Brett Weymark tried to hold the silence for as long as he could, before the audience exploded into rapturous applause.
Photo Credit: Stephen Blake
