Arvo Pärt - Cecilia, vergine romana Arvo Pärt - Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten Brahms - A German Requiem Domingo Hindoyan - conductor Sophie Bevan - soprano Samuel Hasselhorn - baritone Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir Matthew Hamilton - Director of Choirs and Singing “Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted” sings the choir in Brahms’ A German Requiem. Brahms had just lost his mother, and he poured all his love and sorrow into a requiem of profound tenderness and beauty. Our acclaimed Choir loves to sing this music, and tonight they are joined by two international stars, soprano Sophie Bevan and baritone Samuel Hasselhorn. But to open – on the day of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music – we celebrate the 90th birthday of Arvo Pärt, perhaps the greatest living master of sonic tranquillity. It’s strong emotions, softly sung.