The romance of Brahms

A 120-member choir will join soprano Jacqueline Porter, former Tasmanian bassbaritone Christopher Richardson and the Hobart Chamber Orchestra on Saturday to perform Brahms’

Ein Deutsches Requiem for the Festival of Voices.

The choir will be made up from local and interstate singers who have taken part in Festival of Voices choral workshops run by Davis Lawrence, who is considered one of the UK’s most versatile conductors.

Melbourne-based Porter is equally at home on the operatic stage and the concert platform. Her voice has been described as having a warm tone with faultless technique and lovely resonance in the upper registers. Ein Deutsches

Requiem is a key part of her repertoire.

“It is part of the Romantic repertoire and is very sumptuous in its harmonies,” she said.

“There are textures and sonorities you wouldn’t normally hear in Baroque and Classical requiems.

“The soprano line is beautiful. It floats above the choir at the end and is very moving and powerful and the fact that Brahms began writing this piece after the death of his mother adds to the poignancy.

“The soprano brings a comforting element at a time of sadness. It’s very still, almost suspended in time and is quite ethereal.”

The requiem is sung in German rather than the more commonly used Latin.

“I love singing in German because you can really use the consonants,” Porter said, “it’s very expressive and you can word paint with it.” Ein Deutsches Requiem will be performed at Hobart’s Federation Concert Hall from 3pm Saturday. Tickets are $45 for adults and $30 concession, from www.festivalofvoices.com