#brahmsrequiem

Nach dem Konzert! #mozartrequiem #brahmsrequiem (hier: Johanneskirche - Gutenbergstraße 11 70176 Stuttgart Deutschland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcSanGGNjpR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED SOME BRAHMS. I’ll admit that’s probably not most people’s first thought most days, but bear with me. The @nytimes has a feature—5 Minutes That Will Make You Love...—and the one that popped up in the sidebar for me was Brahms. I’ll admit, I don’t need much convincing where Johannes Brahms is concerned—spend a few months singing his Ein Deutsches Requiem and you likely won’t, either. But I was curious to see what they suggested, and didn’t expect at least ten different pieces recommended by a vast variety of people (also didn’t expect Branford Marsalis to say he steals from Brahms all the time!). When a choral conductor mentioned the Requiem, I had to listen, because I was sure it would be the “Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen,” aka “How Lovely Are Thy Dwelling Places,” which is the most beloved, and therefore most famous, movement of the whole piece, and one of the most beloved choral pieces in history. I was right. And as soon as the opening notes began, I was transported into the magical musical world of Brahms, which runs the full gamut of emotions from enraptured tenderness (this movement) to defiant rage (in one of the later ones, you get to shake your fist at death and just DARE it to come for you). More than that, I remembered how much I love this piece, and love choral music, and absolutely ADORE getting the chance to make this sort of music happen—something we haven’t been able to do for more than a year now. It’s so easy to forget how much we love to do the things we love—but it’s just as easy to remember when we put ourselves back into that environment and let that feeling wash over us again. If you’ve been away from what you love, take five minutes today to remind yourself. I promise you won’t regret it! posted on Instagram - https://instagr.am/p/CNune3pgAmm/

Post-choir face. I pushed the throttles to the limit during the crescendo in the sixth movement. Scotty was down in my larynx going "ye canna push her any harder!" #BrahmsRequiem #tenor #tenorlyfe #postconcertface (at Christ Church Deer Park)

Showtime #choir life #BrahmsRequiem (at Christ Church Deer Park)

Voice holding up so far. Today it's the lungs that are about to give out. #choirlyfe #choirlove #tenor #tenorface #BrahmsRequiem (at Christ Church Deer Park)

Tonight's #choirface is especially for @jennie1ofmany #choirlyfe #vocalcordsreadytosnap #tenor #tenorface #cannonfodder #BrahmsRequiem #twomovementstogo #nowforthehardpart (at Christ Church Deer Park)

<Schwarzenegger voice> You should not dive and sing. </Schwarzenegger voice> #nosebleed #tenor #BrahmsRequiem #choirlife #vocalcordsreadytosnap (at Christ Church Deer Park)

Remarkably little carnage after such a gruelling fugue. Good job my vocal cords are securely attached or they'd likely pop and go flying across the stage like one of those roll-up window blinds #BrahmsRequiem #tenor #choirlife #DuKennstMeineAngst (at Christ Church Deer Park)