The Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood is an excellent recording and performance. |
FYI, that Hogwood recording is not the classic version of the Requiem completed by Mozart's student Süssmayr. The Hogwood recording is a version by Richard Maunder. So unless you are prepared for parts of movements, and entire movements not started by Mozart, sounding totally different than anything you have ever heard before; I would steer clear of the Hogwood as a starter recording.
I sing in a professional choir, and the only recording I can listen to from start to finish, over and over again, is the Peter Schreier conducted recording on Philips recorded in 1984. The catalog number is 411 420-2. The artists are: Theo Adam (Bass), Margaret Price (Soprano), Francisco Araiza (Tenor), and Trudeliese Schmidt (Mezzo-Soprano)
Another popular recording is by the Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, with artists: Cotrubas, Watts, Tear, and Shirley-Quirk; with Sir Neville Marriner conducting.
It is on Decca/London, 1987 |
thanks lads .. I heard it on TV about a year ago and again on the 11th and it sends chills up my spine !
thanks for the recommendations and details...
Matt |
For those interested in alternative versions of the Requiem like the Maunder; the new version by Harvard professor and very fine pianist Robert Levin, recorded by the Boston Baroque, is very good. I've performed it as well, with Dr. Levin in attendance.
If you have seen a pianist Robert Levin on CDs of Mozart Piano Concertos, it is the same person. Dr. Levin improvises all the cadenzas on the spot when he plays Mozart, unlike most artists who just play a cadenza already written down. He is fun in concert, because you can go to every performance and rehearsal, and every time the cadenzas are different. Quite a creative guy! |
A second vote for the Schreier/Philips recording--the soloists are excellent, as is the choral work--that's the one I listen to for pleasure and to brush up on my part when my choir sings it. The new SACD with the Netherlands Bach ensemble is also quite good, but definitely lacks the fire of the Schreier version--a more leisurely pace, maybe a bit more introspective, and definitely a different version than the traditional Sussmayr version in certain spots. |
I don't know whether it is "the best" or anywhere near that mythical level, but the one I have is by the Choeurs et Orchestre de Paris under Daniel Barenboim, with Kathleen Battle, Ann Muray, David Rendall and Matti Salminen EMI CDC 7473422. It sounds good to me, but then what do I know, I have no other point of reference. Wonder what the previous posters think of this recording? |
Hello Matt, this might be off the topic but you might want to watch the movie called AMADEUS. A dramatic preformance, The Mozart Requiem scenes is ...Well, watch the movie ! I think that everyone into classical music should see this movie. The music was also presented by Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Sir Neville Marriner conducting, if I remember, correctly.
PS. It will sound beautifully on your HT system. That I know for sure :-) I wonder if they made it into DVD, yet ? |
Yo, Sugarbrie: Dug your recommendation. Maybe I'll try it. I've sung the Requiem several times, including the bass solo.
Like you, I'm a professional chorister. I wish that being one made me an authority on the piece, but alas, it does not. I've sung with Schreier (St. John Passion) and saw/heard Hogwood do the Mozart at Royal Festival Hall. Still, I hestitate to recommend a definitive version, but hey, I'm a libra. I seem to gravitate more towards the lean and mean early music versions because I can hear the innards better. For overview and perhaps emotion...maybe the Schreier IS the one to have. |
So I did a search, I did notice multiple version of Schreier's Requiem.. I also did find one with Schmidt and Araiza, That version was recently release, 1995. It maybe a remaster of your recomendation Sugarbie.
V18/Requiem+/Schreier:schmidt,Araiza,Lso on www.hmv.ca
I do remember the Movie and the Scene 6chac, the problem is that they rarly play the whole and complete Aria or movement on DVD, its usally snippets ..plus I always prefer 2-chn...but thanks ! |
The version I really like is Directed by Matthias Bamert. I did audition a few version and found this one interresting. It can be found under Amati label (1991). album number:SR 9014/1.
The artists are: Lena Lootens (soprano), Margit Neubauer (Mezzo sprano), Martyn Hill(Tenor), Kurt Widmer (Bass-Bariton) and Edgar Krapp (orgean)...
I really like but can't say if it's the best version (I did not try them all)...
Regards |
For CD versions full price I will go with recent Herreweghe
on Harmonia Mundi label, excellent recording with great emotional thrust. This is period instrument performance.
Nearly as good at bargain price level is the Hickox version on Virgin label (ultraviolet series)
Other versions are good: Gardiner, Schreier etc but my 1st choice remains Herreweghe. |
The only problem with the Herrweghe recording is that the female voices in the Kyrie become very strident and difficult to listen to at times. Other than the sound issue the performance is one of the best I've heard but I have yet to hear the Schreier version. I became familiar with most of the other popular versions in my search for one that captures the emotion that this piece contains. |
I, too, like the Schreier version -- although some voices let the performance down. Some of the older versions may be of interest: Klemperer is one, Bohm is another.
TO these ears, the Dies ire is one of the most difficult parts to satisfy... |
