Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Sarah Tynan (soprano), Leigh Melrose (baritone), James Morgan (conductor)

Brighton Festival Chorus, always an audience-magnet, sang a well-nuanced performance of Brahms’ impressive Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny). Beforehand, their Music Director James Morgan told us the bits he liked best. Then, to complete the first half he gave us musical examples to explain the best bits of Brahms’ ‘Ein deutsches Requiem’. It’s not often that a requiem can become entertainment. The audience loved it and the performance itself was likely much better appreciated.

The husband and wife soloists were perfectly matched, Melrose towering heroically over the powerful chorus and Tynan soaring serenely in her glorious aria ‘Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit’.

CODA:
This performance was dedicated to the memory of Barry Fearn FRCS, a long-time supporter of the Brighton Phil. and a most illustrious orthopaedic surgeon.

Dome Concert Hall, 6 November 2016
Rating:
Andrew Connal