Giuseppe Verdi: Messa De Requiem/Quattro Pezzi Sacri

Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Claudio Abbado (Conductor), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Vienna State Opera (Orchestra), Cheryl Studer (Performer), José Carreras (Performer), Marjana Lipovsek (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Cheryl Studer, José Carreras, Marjana Lipovsek
• Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera
• Conductor: Claudio Abbado
• Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
• Audio CD (July 1, 1993)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001GH7
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,345 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Messa Da Requiem - Requiem

2. Messa Da Requiem - Dies Irae

3. Messa Da Requiem - Offertorio

4. Messa Da Requiem - Sanctus

5. Messa Da Requiem - Agnus Dei

6. Messa Da Requiem - Lux Aeterna

7. Messa Da Requiem - Libera Me

8. Quattro Pezzi Sacri - Ave Maria

9. Quattro Pezzi - Stabat Mater

10. Quattro Pezzi - Laudi Alla Vergine Maria

11. Quattro Pezzi - Te Deum

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very satisfying performance, March 30, 2007

By 

pyramidcvv "pyramidcvv" (Western US) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Giuseppe Verdi: Messa De Requiem/Quattro Pezzi Sacri (Audio CD)

Overall, I found this November 1991 Vienna recording of the Verdi Requiem very enjoyable.

Jose Carreras sounds quite good four years after his leukemia diagnosis; only an occasional wobble here and there.

I'm a longtime fan of Ruggero Raimondi: there's a certain "buzzy" resonance in his voice that I find very appealing. His vowels tend to get sloppy ("ih" instead of "ee," "oh" instead of "oo"), and he sometimes takes liberties with the written rhythms. But generally, it's all in good taste.

Cheryl Studer's work is generally free of any excess theatrics and swooping, although it seemed some of her entrances were a bit flat. Marjana Lipovsek has a lovely sound.

The Vienna State Opera Chorus is marvelous throughout; I thought the soprano choristers especially shone in the Libera Me fugue in the end. The Vienna Philharmonic was wonderful; I'm really picky about the bass drum in the Dies Irae, and was not disappointed.

The liner notes include a long essay by Carolyn Abbate who describes Verdi's Requiem as "schizophrenic," and refers to the "operatic conceit" of offstage music.

The Requiem is coupled with Quattro Pezzi Sacri (with Studer). Texts and translations (with tempo marks) included.