Mozart Requiem - Choral Workshop
Piano: Jakob Rothoff
Mozart: Requiem
Mozart's Requiem is one of the greatest and most popular works in the choral repertoire. It was claimed that Mozart believed he was writing the work for his own funeral, although he died before it was completed, and this task fell to his contemporary Süssmayr.
This workshop gave the 139 participants an opportunity to get inside the work, and to experience the thrill of performing a large part of it for themselves at the end of the day. It was led by the Waverley Singers' Musical Director, Richard Pearce, who was joined by the choir's regular accompanist, Jakob Rothoff.
Hire copies of the score were available for a small fee. Equally importantly, hot drinks were available - and cakes!
Read these very gratifying comments after the event from participants in the workshop! Also this nice review that appeared on 18 January in the Farnham Herald.
Reviews
"More than 100 enjoy Mozart and cake"
The following review appeared on 18 January 2024 in the Farnham Herald.
Almost 140 singers took part in Waverley Singers’ Choral Workshop at South Farnham School on January 13. The workshop explored Mozart’s Requiem, one of the best-loved works in the choral repertoire. Working through and rehearsing the different movements throughout the day, the workshop concluded with a full-blooded performance.
Open workshops offering an opportunity to explore great choral music in depth have become an annual event for the Waverley Singers. They are increasingly popular, not least because of the engaging leadership of conductor Richard Pearce – but perhaps also because of the quality of the interval cakes provided by choir members. In all, 139 singers took part, coming from as far afield as Swindon and Southampton; such is the appeal of the Requiem and the strength of the network linking choral groups across the country.
The singers were accompanied on piano by the Waverley Singers’ regular accompanist, Jakob Rothoff, who himself makes a long journey every Thursday night from East London to rehearse with the choir in Farnham.
Mozart was supposedly writing the Requiem for his own funeral, but he died before it could be completed. The 1984 American film ‘Amadeus’ shows his family and friends at his bedside, begging him to give them the missing parts.
The workshop used the most widely-used completed version, produced by Mozart’s contemporary Franz Xaver Süssmayr. Richard Pearce pointed out the parts written by Mozart, which have the undeniable stamp of genius it would be hard for anyone else to match. Luckily, they form most of the work, and well done Süssmayr for having a go!
The choir’s next event will be something completely different: a jazz double bill at The Farnham Maltings on Sunday 24 March, featuring Will Todd’s Mass in Blue and Bob Chilcott’s Little Jazz Mass. Further details and tickets at waverleysingers.com
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