Comfort, Awe, and Hope

Pleas for mercy? Visions of judgement? Prayers for eternal rest? Unfinished at his death, Mozart’s beloved Requiem has long been a source of spiritual reflection. His student Franz Xaver Süssmayr’s version remains the most widely known. Commonwealth Chorale presents a fresh interpretation, featuring a 2024 version by British composer Howard Arman. Based on extensive study, Arman offers a lighter orchestration, a revised “Lacrimosa,”, and incorporates a choral “Amen” based on Mozart’s sketches—earning critical praise.

Also on the program are two psalm settings by Brazilian composer José Mauricio Nunes Garcia (1767–1830), who conducted the first Brazilian performance of Mozart’s Requiem and was influenced by both European and Brazilian traditions. His settings of Psalms 112 and 116, “Laudate Pueri” and “Laudate Dominum”, offer vivid word painting, rich harmonies, and emotional depth. This concert invites spiritual reflection through powerful, sacred music.

https://commonwealthchorale.com/concerts/march-concert-comfort-awe-and-hope