Harpenden Choral Society is pleased to present a performance of Dvořák’s Requiem on Saturday 28 March 2020, featuring the King’s Sinfonietta, with soloists Alison Langer (soprano), Emma Stannard (alto), Lawrence Thackeray (tenor) and James Cleverton (bass). The performance will be conducted by the choir’s Musical Director, John Andrews.
Recognised as one of the greatest choral works of the nineteenth century, Dvořák’s Requiem has become an integral part of the English choral tradition. The composition was commissioned by the Birmingham Music Festival and was premiered in October 1891 to great acclaim, conducted by the composer himself. Music critics at the time all agreed that Dvořák’s Requiem was one of the most powerful settings of the Latin Requiem Mass.
The Requiem displays Dvořák’s customary richness of melodic invention and dramatic flair. It is a profound and exciting work, permeated by Czech folk rhythms that further add to its attraction.
