Sydney Chamber Choir: Mozart Requiem – REVIEW

Mozart’s Requiem is when it is performed well, is utterly sublime. And on Sunday afternoon, Sydney Chamber Choir performed it beautifully, elevating listeners to another plane.  

In addition to the Sydney Chamber Choir, the concert in the City Recital Hall featured soloists Celeste Lazarenko (soprano), Helen Sherman (mezzo-soprano), Richard Butler (tenor), David Greco (bass), Anthony Abouhamad on the organ, The Muffat Collective Orchestra,  and conductor, Sam Allchurch.

The packed hall was treated to an opening piece by J.S. Bach, Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (Sing to the Lord a new song), BWV225, performed by the choir and accompanied only by the organ. 

Then a small number of musicians assembled to perform a second work with the choir: Australian composer, Iain Grandage’s delightful Why Do We Exist? (2016). This enchanting piece included bird and wind noises created on the strings and by various choir members whistling. Truly stunning. 

This was followed by a Mozart sweetener, Ave, verum Corpus, KV618 (1791), which set the tone for the greater work to come after intermission. 

Mozart’s iconic Requiem KV626 (1791), which he was still writing up to his own death, is an awe-inspiring work. It was performed by the choir, the full orchestra, the four soloists and organ, but it felt like a thousand-strong ensemble. 

It is a piece with exquisite melody and harmonies that reverberate through every nerve and sinew. The room was spellbound until the final note…and then some. After a stunned silence the auditorium erupted in elongated, rapturous applause. 

This was a one-off concert, however, the choir will perform again in June with a program of light, rich tunes in their intimate home at The Neilson. Put it in your calendar. 

June 29, 5pm & 8pm

The Neilson, Pier 2/3, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay

sydneychamberchoir.org