Few other works posed Brahms so many artistic and critical challenges as the Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) Op. 54. The immediate spark of inspiration upon encountering Hölderlin’s poem – in the summer of 1868 after the premiere of his German Requiem – was followed by a difficult process lasting several years as he struggled with the form and expression of the work. Brahms could not reconcile Hölderlin’s bleakness, and the idea that the fate of humanity should end with suffering and disappearance into the void. He nearly gave up on the setting several times, but with the addition of an instrumental epilogue he finally succeeded in turning the interpretive direction. In a letter dated 24 October 1871, he wrote to his friend Karl Rheintaler, explaining: ‘I am in fact saying something that the poet doesn’t say’. As with his Requiem – and at a time of a deep personal crisis in life – he uses his artistic means to set an example against hopelessness.

Editorial note: By its nature, this SAM-Klang edition occasionally challenges the performers with a somewhat higher level of activity than in the original SATB version, and in some places a slight redistribution of entries in the polyphonic sections has been made. Despite this, the original orchestral accompaniment can be used together with this version without restraint, and the work can also be performed with piano accompaniment The name SAM-Klang takes the three voice parts from the arrangements – Soprano, Alto and Men – and combines it with the Scandinavian and German words for ‘sound’ to create the portmanteau word ‘sound together’ or ‘harmony’. The SAM-Klang series offers basic and advanced choral repertoire arranged for soprano, alto and one male voice- part.