Verdi 's Requiem

[Sergeant Rock]

I'm surprised no one likes Shaw (Telarc) as much as Alan Blyth and I do. Shaw has a team of soloists that really are a team (and Susann Dunn is an outstanding soloist):

"That old critic's shorthand writing of 'an equally balanced quartet' is here really true; the four voices blend ideally, mainly because all the singers have true, firm tone and avoid ego trips....Dunn's voice is firm, fresh and secure from top to bottom, has sufficient bite to carry it over the whole assembly of singers and players when needed, and an ability to float—listen to "huic ergo" in the Lacrymosa and the soprano's first entry in the Offertorio. I have seldom heard the Andante section of the final movement so beautifully and movingly sung, with all the danger points easily surmounted. "

The chorus is superb, and superbly recorded

"..the dedication and precision of their singing is truly remarkable. The only real rival in these respects is the 1964 Philharmonia but in its case the recording now sounds dated. Indeed, to clinch the Telarc's superiority, they have the most exciting, immediate recording of a chorus I have yet encountered in this work."

And Shaw conducts a performance like Toscanni. He prepared the chorus for that famous recording and he follows the master in his own.

"With the credentials listed above, it is hardly surprising to hear him follow Toscanini's example in matters of tempo and orchestral clarity in this work or to find that he inspires his chorus to achieve such great things."

So, ideally balanced recording with Telarc's famous sonic "impact" plus an attractive team of soloists, plus the best chorus in this work, plus tempos and clarity like Toscanni...what's not to like? I realize other recordings will score points by having more glamorous singers or a more famous conductor, but no other performance I've heard adds up to quite such a satisfying whole.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

- Speed of the Dies Irae - too many start fast and then by the time they are 30 seconds in, they are much slower (drives me crazy), with instant slowdowns when the chorus comes in.

Shaw doesn't slow down.

Sarge

[Lilas Pastia]

Hi Mike ! Hello, Sarge!
Just a couple additional remarks.

I never heard the Shaw but will certainly try it. From what I had read it seemed to be a splendid but rather uneventful affair. But I'll take your word and give it a try.

If my amazon UK order works, I should have the Païta recording eventually (vulgar tenor and all). It could be a while though: I could not have it sent to Canada or the USA, so I had to choose a european delivery address. Maybe some time next spring...

Re: the Chicago Solti recording. Price is something of a trial to listen to, but she still has stunning moments. What ruins Baker' contribution is the lack of vibrato. Her sound so completely clashes with the other soloists that their moments together are quite unpleasant to listen to. And it does not help that next to Price she sounds like the higher voice! Price's soprano is very dark, almost guttural in places and her frequent descent into chest register make her sound boomy next to Baker's much purer sound. A very strange mix. I still like that recording. It's stunningly played and sung (chorus + Jose van Dam) and recorded.

Re: Harnoncourt: very beautiful but rather uneventful (too careful). I was surprised at this, as his Aïda with the same orchestra and chorus is full of surprises and hugely dramatic moments. The soloists sound too careful too, as if they were afraid to stand out individually.

Re: Fricsay. I ended up trading it. Harsh, fierce sound and unidiomatic singing from the soloists. It all sounds very central-east european to me, not one bit italianate. IIRC the latin pronunciation is german, which I don't like ('tseli' instead of 'tcheli'). Fricsay's conducting is immensely characterful, but in that field I find Toscanini superior, with better soloists and even better sound. I can stand dated sound as long as dynamics are not compressed and timbres not altered. This DG Fricsay sounds wiry and it quickly tires the ear.

Yesterday I put the Karajan in the player (it had been a couple of years at least) and was moved again by the sheer beauty and character of the playing and especially the solo singing (the viennese chorus is not so great, especially the female voices). The soloists are a dream team. Not so much their individual singing, but the way they phrase and the incredible control they display. None sings as a star soloist: they toss phrases to each other in a seamless, caressing way (Lacrimosa), or play one another dramatically without trying to take center stage. Clearly Karajan's iron control is at work here, but it never feels he's trying to change the work into a symphony with voice obbligatos. The later Karajan (this time in Vienna) is very different. Less beautiful, more individual in all its parts yet very organic overall. Stunning brass playing. The Tuba mirum sounds like the brass choirs are indeed echoing from all corners of the heavens. Awesome.

A new series of EMI boxes is on sale now, all reissues at bargain basement prices. One is a 4 disc set that includes Plasson's version from 1997. I'm tempted because Julia Varady sings the soprano part. She is a very characterful, intense verdian. I've read wildly diverging assessments of that one. Anyone has heard it?

[madaboutmahler]

Re: Fricsay. I ended up trading it. Harsh, fierce sound and unidiomatic singing from the soloists. It all sounds very central-east european to me, not one bit italianate. IIRC the latin pronunciation is german, which I don't like ('tseli' instead of 'tcheli'). Fricsay's conducting is immensely characterful, but in that field I find Toscanini superior, with better soloists and even better sound. I can stand dated sound as long as dynamics are not compressed and timbres not altered. This DG Fricsay sounds wiry and it quickly tires the ear.

Thank you for these comments on the Fricsay recording, this was the one I was thinking of buying so your opinion has made me reconsider.... it's very cheap so I might get it anyway, along with the Karajan you are enthusiastic about.

Daniel

[knight66]

Daniel, I think the Karajan one Andre has suggested is the DVD, not the CD. Perhaps Andre can confirm.

If you go onto Spotify you can hear the Fricasy. You can join free, but will get adverts in between each movement. However, it will let you hear whether it is what you like. Some of the other suggestions will also be on there.

Mike

[mc ukrneal]

Shaw doesn't slow down.

Sarge

This is true (though they seem less precise on the beat than I would like, but ok, that is a fairly minor quibble since they are not at half light speed like so many). In fact, I like the sound of the choral parts in this one, if only they started the Dies Irae less tentatively. For example, this is something I like about the Muti I - you don't feel they are holding back. They are off from the first note (though this can be a negative at times). Shaw takes a few moments to get going. Once he gets going here, it is a beautiful sound though. And it is a nicely balanced performance as you say.

Bychkov has intrigued me as well - as i have not heard much about it.

Madaboutmahler - they are all flawed in some manor or another on CD. I think the Karajan with Pavorotti on DVD is superior to anything on CD. Fricsay's Tuba Mirium is superb though - my favorite part of his version. Although, Toscanini can be heard shouting encouragement here (in his version) and that just gives me shivers. But I would not worry so much about trying to get a 'perfect' version - you will enjoy pretty much every one that has been recommended. I think a safe first choice is Solti on Decca, but only if you don't mind a more operatic version. Shaw is also safe - you will hear everything and the sound is among the best. I find it less electrifying than I'd like, which is my main issue. Even Toscanini is safe, though the sound is a bit worse than the other two (but generally pretty good for him).

Here a few samples:
Shaw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jBLyIQvNf0
Toscanini: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDbMzp86tOc
Fricsay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ohqm0ev9bA
Solti: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srf29Z9ck4s
(and there are many more if you search)

[mc ukrneal]

Here are a couple samples from the Karajan DVD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsGrOfmCA1E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmHk5REiILU&feature=BFa&list=PL8240A2518041DAC3&lf=results_video

I wonder if they knew when they were performing this just how special it would be...

[madaboutmahler]

Madaboutmahler - they are all flawed in some manor or another on CD. I think the Karajan with Pavorotti on DVD is superior to anything on CD. Fricsay's Tuba Mirium is superb though - my favorite part of his version. Although, Toscanini can be heard shouting encouragement here (in his version) and that just gives me shivers. But I would not worry so much about trying to get a 'perfect' version - you will enjoy pretty much every one that has been recommended. I think a safe first choice is Solti on Decca, but only if you don't mind a more operatic version. Shaw is also safe - you will hear everything and the sound is among the best. I find it less electrifying than I'd like, which is my main issue. Even Toscanini is safe, though the sound is a bit worse than the other two (but generally pretty good for him).

Thank you for your comment, maybe it would be an idea to buy the dvd and listen with my eyes shut! Thank you for all those links, I enjoyed listening to them and they were helpful in helping me to decide what to do!

Thank you everyone for the feedback.
Daniel

[Lilas Pastia]

mc urkneal is right. No single version is perfect. All have something one can carp about or simply not appreciate as much as others do. And, as he mentions, if you go for only one, try the Solti Decca. You can't really argue with the result. It's a splendid all-round version. Even the quibbles (the women soloists for example) have some truly outstanding qualities - Sutherland and Horne in Verdi sound bizarre no matter what work they sing in .

I searched and found more reviews of the Plasson. ARG and an anonymous Amazon reviewer raved about it. Music web found it quite unsatisfying. Originally spread over two discs  (67 and 14 minutes ), it's now available in a cheap (20$) 4-disc set titled (surprise!) 'Requiem'. The others are the Brahms (Karajan 1976), Mozart (Giulini 1979) and the Fauré (Plasson again). Too bad it didn't also include the Dvorak, an all-time favourite of mine, but if I'm not mistaken there was no recording of that work in EMI's vaults. The Duruflé would have been a nice complement too (I don't have it). Ma basta!   It just so happens that the Karajan Brahms and Giullini Mozart are versions I used to have and cherish in their lp incarnation. And I'll welcome any version of the Fauré I come across. All told then, a nice addition to my collection.

I'll report on the Plasson when I have given it a couple hearings. And the Markevitch too. It materialized out of thin air thanks to the magic of internet . The Verdi Requiem is one of those works of genius works one never tires of. Like Beethoven's 9th or Mahler's 8th it's kind of a composite work that stretches the boundaries of classical music form. A break from time to time is a good thing, but when the urge strikes, there's no escaping its incredible splendours.

[eyeresist]

A new series of EMI boxes is on sale now, all reissues at bargain basement prices. One is a 4 disc set that includes Plasson's version from 1997. I'm tempted because Julia Varady sings the soprano part. She is a very characterful, intense verdian. I've read wildly diverging assessments of that one. Anyone has heard it?

The Plasson struck me as mediocre and I haven't bothered with it after one listen. Muti and Colin Davis are the others I have, both much more convincing.

[david johnson]

Thank you for these comments on the Fricsay recording, this was the one I was thinking of buying so your opinion has made me reconsider.... it's very cheap so I might get it anyway, along with the Karajan you are enthusiastic about.

Daniel

pay no heed to the nay-sayers, the sound is fine and the performance is exciting. 

[mc ukrneal]

SO I finally got around to this requiem:
[asin]B00004SCXS[/asin]
Opening is quite good and I am drawn in. The choral singing here is quite good, transparent and balanced. Quite a good start. Soloists enter- and a bit of disappointment as there seems to be some straining, but that does seem to level out. Chorus and orchestra were very fine in the opening though.  Dies Irae is coming now. Ach! Not together (unison of the group is always tested here) and because they are not always together the impact is less than it could have been. Still powerful, but could have been amazing. Tuba Mirum is goose bump inducing (not the best I've ever heard - the calls are not always ennunicated as they could be), but what a sound the brass create here.

Waltraud Meier is not entirely ideal, though she is ok (and has a strong enough voice), and I much preferred her when she sang WITH someone. Having said that, I am not enthralled as I sometimes can be in the Rex Tremendae. I think they are good - they just don't have that sublime quality that some achieve here (a bit of shrieking on the soprano's high notes). I enjoyed Domingo's singing and he is probably the highlight of the soloists.  Again, the chorus and orchestra are excellent.

I think to sum up I would say - Chorus and orchestra generally fine. Soloists are a bit of a mixed bag for me. They don't bring the excitement that others can, nor do they bring some of the sublime moments that others achieve. They lie somewhere in the middle - doing nothing badly, but not always doing them particularly memorably either. The sound deserves a special mention here as well - it is very good.

[Drasko]

If my amazon UK order works, I should have the Païta recording eventually (vulgar tenor and all). It could be a while though: I could not have it sent to Canada or the USA, so I had to choose a european delivery address. Maybe some time next spring...

Andre, if your amazon order falls through, MDT seems to have the Paita, and not very expensive either.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//LO-CD772-3.htm

[knight66]

I remember hearing this set, it may come as a surprise to some just how well Harper sings Verdi.

Mike

[wagnernn]

Beside the EMI's Giulini, I prefer these sets:.

http://www.amazon.com/Verdi-Requiem-Helmut-Krebs/dp/B000001GQU

The sound is in mono, but still enjoyable. Maria Stader did a great job here although she didn't sound Italian enough. This is the first time I listen to Kim Borg, and find that he is very impressive

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Requiem-Barbirolli-Barenboim-Wolfgang-Amadeus/dp/B000064873

Vickers is the true star of the show. It is another great experience of his Verdi role. The rest of the cast are excellent.

[Lilas Pastia]

pay no heed to the nay-sayers, the sound is fine and the performance is exciting. 

Oh my, how exciting ! You'll have to decide for yourself !! 

Milos: the order seems to have gone through. Friends of Mama should bring the disc to these western shores in October    - much earlier than expected !

[Lilas Pastia]

Got shipping confirmation, and friends abroad will bring the disc next month  .

First impression on the Markevitch Requiem. Could write an essay, but who would be interested in a next-to-impossible-to-find version? In a nutshell: artistically stunning, with close to perfect singing and playing. The sound is quite ok considering the age (1960 live from behind the iron curtain), but the link I got this from is a LP to CD transfer, therefore not a modern remastering. I have no idea if the original tapes exist, but should that turn out in a truthful remastering, it would sweep the board, esp. if it could accommodate it all on a single CD (I was able to burn the whole 82:42 on a single CDR).

1 out of 4 soloists is memorable (Vishnevskaya), and 2 more are a good cut above average (alto Nina Issakova and bass Ivan Petrov). It seems Andréa Chénier wandered in the wrong recording studio - too bad it wasn't Lemeshev or Kozlovsky.

Surprises and stunning interpreting gestures abound - as if hearing the work for the first time, only to realise THIS is how it should sound - a verdian's secret wet dream. Not everything is on the same level, but Markevitch's faith in the work's stature ensures there are no weak links.

Thanks to the friend who made the experience possible - you know who you are ). It very much reminds me of the contemporaneous Bolshoi production of Aïda - again with Vishnevskaya and Petrov (as Ramfis), this time with the very best mezzo and tenor around, plus the fabulous Amonasro of Pavel Lisitsian. Not for everyday consumption, not for the faint of heart, not for the lover of elegant italianate singing, but who cares: the full, red-blooded Monty. Verdi would have weeped with joy at the russians' singing of his requiem and Aïda.

[wagnernn]

Supreme rendition of Dame Schwarzkopf and Maestro De Sabata:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9XPBgVkmFg

[Lisztianwagner]

I'm not a great admirer of Verdi, but I really love his Requiem, it's a very powerful and expressive piece, very impressive; I personally prefer the Requiem to the Verdi's operas.......
My favourite version is the Karajan & Berlin Phil.

Ilaria

[madaboutmahler]

My favourite version is the Karajan & Berlin Phil.

Ilaria

Is it really, Ilaria?! Is there anything you dislike of Karajan's conducting?