Brahms / Reiner / Schonheit - Requiem [CD]

In September 2013, when the National Choir of Ukraine DUMKA visited Muhlhausen and Merseburg with the All-Night Vigil op. 37 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, no one had any idea that a profound artistic friendship would develop between the colleagues from Ukraine and Central Germany following these brilliant concerts. Further encounters and joint projects followed, among them the performance of the German Requiem op. 45 by Johannes Brahms in November 2015 with the National Orchestra of Ukraine, the National Choir of Ukraine DUMKA and the soloists Ute Selbig and Andreas Scheibner under the direction of Michael Schonheit. In a perfect way, the Ukrainian choir sings in foreign languages, a.o. German. Shortly afterward the idea was born to invite DUMKA to Germany again with the so-called "Hebbel Requiem" by Max Reger and the German Requiem by Johannes Brahms. On September 16, 2016, the Brahms Requiem was again performed in Muhlhausen for the first time in 50 years. The German broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk recorded the concert. It is this live recording which can be heard on this double album, including three organ pieces by Brahms and Reger played by Denny Wilke at the Sauer Organ in St. Mary's in Muhlhausen.