Brahms Daze

On Saturday 4 February Christ Church hosted an immersive experience of live Brahms music, led by Warwick Cole, with recitals every hour on the hour from 11am til the scratch sing German Requiem at 6pm. A crazy idea. Would anyone turn up? Well, they certainly did, and they brought their lunch with them! Throughout the day our audiences drank in quintets, trios, sextets, a piano sonata etc and then raised their voices as one at 6pm to sing through the German Requiem. Several hundred people left Christ Church that day having answered Warwick’s question – Brahms, Love Him or Hate Him? Love him!!

Here’s what they said:

• You demonstrated that such music is not elitist but can be enjoyed by folk of all ages, even those who are young and not that musical. Well done - thank you.

• Please pass my warm thanks to everyone who in their different ways made yesterday so special and memorable - fellow-musicians and not least the makers of coffee and cake throughout the day!

• Isn't the Clarinet Quintet a gorgeous work? I loved it! Bravo!

• What an achievement!

• I attended the afternoon performances and sang in the Requiem - all utterly unforgettable.

• Words cannot say enough to thank you for the most wonderful experiences at Christ Church in Cheltenham yesterday.

And to all those from our Christ Church music, cake and tea-towel family (including new members Jonathan and Rosie Barron) – THANK YOU!

Beck Donaldson