A programme of works compiled with an eye on the approaching feast of All Saints features funeral music from the 17th and 19th centuries. First up is the aria that begins with the line Mit Weinen hebt sichs an, composed by Johann Christoph Bach of Eisenach, first cousin once removed of Johann Sebastian Bach, which is a short and harrowing summation of human existence from birth to death. Heinrich Schütz’s work entitled Musikalische Exequien exercised an immeasurable influence on Brahms, among others, as the main source of inspiration for the latter composer’s German Requiem. Henry Purcell’s unforgettable Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary was composed for the eponymous sovereign’s funeral in 1695. “One of the striking features of Johannes Brahms’ composition Begräbnisgesang, written when he was 27, is its instrumentation: other than timpani, the orchestra is comprised solely of wind instruments. No less unusual in its orchestration is Gabriel Fauré’s well-known Requiem: the score of the first version of the work – besides the organ and a few brass instruments – specifies only a single violin and low-register strings. It is this version which will be performed this evening for the first time in Hungary on contemporary instruments.” (György Vashegyi) Presented by: Sysart Kft. – Orfeo Foundation

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