Britten: Cello Symphony, op. 68; Sinfonia da Requiem, op. 20; Cantata misericordium, op. 69 [Import]

Benjamin Britten (Artist), Mstislav Rostropovich (Artist), Peter Pears (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 5, 1989)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Decca Import
• ASIN: B00000INXW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,382 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #99 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Requiems, Elegies & Tombeau

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular, July 12, 2004

By 

C. Symonds (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Britten: Cello Symphony, op. 68; Sinfonia da Requiem, op. 20; Cantata misericordium, op. 69 (Audio CD)

I cannot believe I am the first person to review this incredible cd! Benjamin Britten's Cello Symphony is one of the finest pieces for cello and orchestra ever written and it is Britten's finest orchestral work. The gnarly mood and pessimistic tone of the first movement are caught brilliantly by Rostropovich with the completely idiomatic accompaniment of the English Chamber Orchestra under the composer himself. The ghostly 2nd movement and impassioned 3rd movement are also played to the hilt. Rostropovich's limitless technique is on display in the final movement where cello and orchestra begin a passacaglia with great weight, bringing this masterpiece to a satisfying conclusion. Rostropovich was a great exponent of Britten's music and his love for the piece really shines through here. The second work, Sinfonia da Requiem, is considerably earlier Britten but his complete mastery of the orchestra is apparent in every phrase. The terrifying, if brief vision of the Dies Irae is particularly notable. The performance here blisters with white heat, marred only by sloppy Horn work in the Dies Irae. The final work, Cantata Misericordium is not at the same musical standard as the other two though still containing some wonderful passages full of meaning and emotion. The performance is one of carefully sculpted phrases and attention to the myriad of detail in the score. Peter Pears and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau knew the composer and his music intimately and, like Rostropovich, their passion for it is on full display here. This disc is indispensible for Britten fans and cellists won't want to be without the Cello Symphony. Anyone with an interest in 20th Century music should purchase this disc before it goes out of print.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standard Performances, May 1, 2007

By 

D. A Wend (Arlington Heights, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Britten: Cello Symphony, op. 68; Sinfonia da Requiem, op. 20; Cantata misericordium, op. 69 (Audio CD)

My chief interest in this disc was the recording of the Cello Symphony with Mstislav Rostropovich, for whom Benjamin Britten composed the piece in 1963. This recording was made not long after the premiere and joins my other recordings of Benjamin Britten's music made by the composer. The brooding quality of this recording has never been surpassed, particularly the forced jubilation of the Passacaglia. Mstislav Rostropovich plays with an exceptionally beautiful tone and the dynamics of his playing, traversing difficult pizzicatos and his expressive pianissimo are a marvel.

The Sinfonia da Requiem was written in 1940 on a commission from the Japanese government to celebrate the 2,600th anniversary of the Mikado dynasty, but the piece was rejected as being too close to Christian liturgy and, indeed, the movement names: Lachrymose, Dies irae and Requiem aetermam reflect the traditional requiem mass. The Sinfonia was dedicated to the memory of Britten's parents. The music, written at the advent of the Second World War has always seemed to me to describe the conflict and the need for peace arising out of war. The drumbeat that begins the first movement creates a feeling of menace that develops as the music is explored. The second scherzo movement has a satirical tone and, again, once can easily read into the martial-like music a military conflict. The final movement is one of consolation and searching for peace that is finally gained and reflected in the orchestra with a soaring theme for the strings and cymbals that gently announce a resolution to the pain that has come in the prior movements.

The Cantata misericordium, written for the Red Cross in 1963, is based upon the parable of the Good Samaritan and is scored for tenor, baritone and chorus. The work was first performed, as it is in this recording, by Peter Pears and Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau. I find the music somewhat reminiscent of Britten's War Requiem, and the message of universal love.

The music is beautifully performed and in the cantata Peter Pears and Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau are perfect soloists. I have had the Cello Symphony performed by Yo-Yo Ma for some time and while a beautiful recording I find the depths plumbed by Rostropovich to be a bit more intense. Anyone interested in Benjamin Britten's music will want this disc, even if you have these works recorded by other artists.