Customer Reviews

Berlioz: Requiem; Boito: Prologue to Mefistofele

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Two hundred years ago today, Louis-Hector Berlioz was born. This is a day for me to comment on a few of my favorite performances of his works, some of them "favorites by acclamation" and others simply those in which I find special merit, enough so that they are frequently in my CD players.

Berlioz's Requiem is, with Giuseppe Verdi's "Manzoni" Requiem, one of the two great dramatic renderings of this text; works that have stood the test of time. If the Verdi work is the more frequently performed and operatic Requiem, the Berlioz is the more "forward-looking" and not at all lacking in its own drama and grandeur.

One needs to go "back into the vaults" to find a recorded performance of this essential Berlioz work that matches Robert Shaw's stunning version in its balance of sublime beauty and visceral excitement, not to mention its spacious sonics, all the way back to the much earlier performances by Charles Munch and Sir Thomas Beecham in fact. And then, of course, one pays a fairly heavy penalty in terms of sonics.

Despite the resources required, the work hardly lacks for "decent" recordings that are more modern than the Beecham and Munch ones, by such esteemed Berlioz specialists as Sir Colin Davis and Charles Dutoit, as well as by James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Seiji Ozawa and Sir Andre Previn. But "decent" is just not good enough; some of these fail to catch fire in one way or another, and none of them have the choral excellence of this Shaw recording under consideration. Only the Dutoit (in an otherwise curiously unengaging performance) can come close to matching Shaw in terms of recorded sound. (In fairness, I confess to not yet having heard John Eliot Gardiner's recording. It may, in its HIP [historically informed performance] way, be the equal of this Shaw recording.)

Shaw finds the appropriate dynamic contrasts in the work, from the gentlest supplications of the "Sanctus" and "Agnus Dei" to the most violent outbursts of the "Dies irae" and "Rex tremendae." The sound - and the perception of depth and spatial effects - is of demonstration quality, particularly in the "Tuba mirum" section of the "Dies irae," for which four brass bands are disposed at the extreme corners of the recording venue at Atlanta Symphony Hall.

The blazing originality of Berlioz shines through everywhere, not just in the instrumental (and choral) outbursts. The otherworldly effect in the "Hostias" of having flutes and trombones separated by many octaves, to represent the immensity of the distance from Heaven to Hell, is captured perfectly, right down to the trombones' pedal-tone growl (just one of many Berlioz innovations). John Aler, arguably our very best "American French tenor," is splendid in the "Sanctus," and the Shaw chorus, needless to say, is one that is seldom - if ever - topped.

John Aler can also be found on a Delos recording of another Berlioz work in a similar vein, the Te Deum (conducted by Dennis Keene), a recording I recommend highly. Regrettably, Robert Shaw never committed the Berlioz Te Deum to disc; it would have made a perfect filler. (This might be because of the special antiphonal "call and response" requirements between orchestra and organ that Berlioz takes pains to specify. Aler/Keene had the benefit of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine for their recording, a perfect venue for the work.)

But the two fillers in this boxed set - the Prologue to Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele and Verdi's Te Deum - which earlier filled a Telarc LP - are nonetheless excellent "fits" for the Berlioz Requiem.

I can remember, a quarter-century ago, when Norman Treigle "owned" the role of Mefistofele while he was at the New York City Opera (an ownership that was subsequently taken over by Samuel Ramey upon Treigle's unfortunate death by suicide). If John Cheek isn't quite the match for Treigle or Ramey, he doesn't miss by much. And the ASO performance and Telarc recording quality are pretty much assured of shaking your rafters just as well as the dramatic parts of the Berlioz work will.

The Verdi work is equally fine, but not nearly as cataclysmic as his "Manzoni" Requiem or Berlioz's own Te Deum.

The age of these performances (1984 for the Berlioz and 1979 for the fillers) doesn't show a bit. And neither does Berlioz the composer, 200 years old today.

Bon anniversaire, M. Berlioz!

Bob Zeidler

A while ago I gave my opinion of Dutoit's recording of the Berlioz Requiem on this site, and took the opportunity to sing the praise of this magnificent work - extensively so, and I won't repeat myself here. But every time I hear it, it again seems to grow in stature. In fact, I feel this work is so profound that it is more than worthy to stand alongside those other very greatest choral works in history, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and Bach's Hohe Messe.
And this recording must be the best one made of it (there really ought to be many, many more to choose from, though!). That Shaw knows how to get the best out of a chorus we knew, but frankly I haven't been unreservedly happy with his handling of the orchestra in some other recordings (Mahler's Eight seems a relevant case in point). However, no such reservations here. Details are meticulously moulded, tempo's perfectly judged, and dynamics closely observed (though a little more 'swell' would have been welcome here and there). Rhythmic articulation is stunningly crisp both in chorus and orchestra (notice the choral singing in the Kyrie!). John Aler is the perfect soloist in the Sanctus, giving an unforced, deeply dignified reading of a piece that too often is allowed to veer towards the operatic - and this Requiem certainly isn't opera!
To top things of all these glorious sounds are caught in the best Telarc fashion, with completely natural perspectives and a thrillingly spacial feel to the four brass bands - not only in the Tuba Mirum, but in their quieter parts elsewhere too. Details remain clearly audible when textures thicken. All in all, a recording that allows full and unhampered immersion in this deeply moving and at times overwhelming masterpiece. I would still like to here John Elliot Gardiner's take on this work, as I did after hearing the Dutoit, but I doubt he can do very much better than this.

I have been collecting the Telarc classics for a few years and always found their sound quality excellent. I came across the Berlioz Requiem and was not disappointed: I was blow-away. From a technical sound-engineering perspective the recording has no peers; it combines the warmth of string tone with a full and rich wind sound coupled when called on for a rasping disonance of brass and percussion. The purist will relish the menacing lower strings in the Dies irea - Prosa and the way Shaw pulls the Atlanta Symphony faster and slower to make his point. The Andante Maestoso is truly terrifying with combined brass choirs (4 of them)in addition to (amongst the rest of the orchestra) 12 french horns 16 Timpani, 4 Gongs and 12 Cymbals. The Atlanta Chorus is suitably amplified for the occasion and performs without an hint of an American accent cutting across the Latin verse. With such large orchestra/choral forces arrayed it is not surprising that intonation suffers, particularly at the Piu largo, also Shaw's use of accented timpani and bass drum entries at this point is, at first disconcerting. The affect does grow on one after a few read throughs however. In summary: A must have.

The Berlioz Requiem is seldom performed, simply because of the sheer enormity of the production and the number of musicians involved. The large main orchestra is surrounded by four brass choirs, in addition to a choir of several hundred voices. There are no less than 16 tympanists, 18 trombonists, 12 horns and nine cymbalists.

I've only heard it performed live once, with the brass choirs placed equidistantly around the large performance hall, and it was an event never to be forgotten! This recording approximates that experience. It's really a great recording and sure to become an important selection in your classical music library!

This is totally awesome music. First of all, the Telarc recording engineers are the best in the world. I have high-end stereo equipment and this is great quality stuff. Secondly, Berlioz Requiem is very well done. Robert Shaw was a master. Not to mention the genius of Berlioz! Finally, I had never heard of Boito until I bought this disc. The Prologue to Mefistofole is stunning music. In fact I was so impressed by it that I bought the whole opera on video, and eventually flew from Seattle to New York to see it live at The Met. This CD is a "must buy."

Having sung this piece, i fully appreciate Robert Shaw's accomplishments with his magnificent chorus. He is not a particularly great conductor however, and this piece needs one. Nor is telarc's sound anything to crow about. The acoustic is too dead to do these tremendous forces justice. Remember it was composed for performance in the massive Les Invalides, not a dry concert hall. With all the fine recordings of this piece i would discourage you from wasting money on this one. If you want a modern recording in the SACD format, and are a fan of the Atlanta Sym. and Chorus, then buy Robert Spano's Telarc recording. His soloist, Frank Lopardo is as good as John Aler, the chorus is still in great hands under chorus master Mackenzie, and Spano is a much more talented conductor. I also love the Munch recording, now sounding beautiful on SACD with tenor Leopold Simoneau. No one since has ever sung the Sanctus solo as beautifully.

Of all the modern recordings of Berlioz' Requiem, Robert Shaw's is the best on every count.

I wouldn't want to be without it.

However, I also wouldn't want to spend a day without the immortal Charles Munch/Boston Symphony version. Especially in the stunning new hybrid SACD remastering.

Simply, this is one of those times when it is just common sense to own two best recordings of the same work.

If you love this work and know these two recordings, you understand why.

Whenever I hear works like this (or Mozart's or Verdi's or Brahm's Requiems) I am still in awe of the intellectual and emotional depths to which the composer plunged. This is a good, some might say great recording. I too am a Telarc fan and think their work is of the highest quality. Saying that, I will say that I found the work slightly "sterile" at least compared to Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic recording that is nothing short of titantic.

Beecham seemed to put his whole heart and soul into the project whereas the current recording is one of intellectual rather than emotional interest. I judge Requiems an odd way - by listening to the Lacrymosa. Whether it is Mozart or Verdi or Berliotz, this particular element seems to hit emotional paydirt. Judging in this case I find it (again) entirely adequate but without the verve of the Beecham recording.

One other thing - many times the orchestra overwhelms the vocalist and this should NEVER be the case unless directly ordered by the composer. What's more, this should never happen in a modern recording studio.

I first heard this requiem 31 years ago at Lincoln Center in New York City with full tympany front and back of the orchestra. This recording sent me right back to that spot. Berlioz and Shaw will have you listening to this over and over.

This is a great recording. The "Dies irae" is simply amazing. Shaw worked under Toscanini and he knew how to make a reading memorable. The speed is well judged and the chorus sings marvellously as does John Alter, the tenor. Boito's "Mefistofele" and Verdi's "Te Deum" are in a category of their own. I believe they are the best available. Overall, a fabulous set.