Brahms fest
Spring must be here, because Brahms is in the air. The music of Johannes Brahms is so warm, so romantic, so full of life and longing. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is planning a Brahms festival of several concerts later this month. And the Buffalo Chamber Players are setting the stage early—with an all Brahms concert on Wednesday. Vocal music was a big part of Brahms’ life, so it’s wonderful that the Chamber Players, who are mostly members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, are being joined for this occasion by the Freudig Singers. The choir, directed by Roland Martin, is going to be singing two rarely heard Brahms choral works, “Burial Song” and, in balance, “Little Wedding Cantata.” Brahms’ two famous songs for voice, viola and piano are also on the program, sung by Sebnem Mekinulov. The first is a wrenchingly beautiful song of longing, with words by Friedrich Rueckert. The second, with words adapted from the great Spanish poet Lope de Vega, is a haunting spiritual slumber song that incorporates the old German carol “Josef, lieber Josef mein.” A transcendent piece Brahms wrote late in life is also on the program: the String Quintet in G, Op. 111. The concert takes place at 7 p. m. Wednesday in Buffalo Seminary (205 Bidwell Parkway). Admission is $15. For more information, visit www.buffalochamberplayers.org or call 462-5659. —Mary Kunz Goldman
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