Customer Reviews

Mozart: Great Mass in C minor /McNair * Montague * Rolfe Johnson * Hauptmann * English Baroque Soloists * Gardiner

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I am drawn to this recording for several reasons: the crisp clarity of the Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner's sprightly interpretation of Mozart's Great Mass, and, most of all, soprano Sylvia McNair's amazingly warm, rich, and controlled voice that blends beautifully with the straight tones of the chorus.

One of my pet peeves, as a choral singer, is soloists' failure to reflect and adapt to the character of the ensemble in pursuit of their own idea of tonal beauty and an often operatic aesthetic. In this recording the soloists could have been drawn from the chorus, so great is their consistency with the sound ideal of Eliot Gardiner's Montiverdi Choir. An ensemble -- chorus and soloists together -- that can accomplish this has gained a rare level of artistry. Eliot Gardiner has, once again, achieved this level. The result is a recording that is far from sterile, one that reverberates with warmth and passion without overwhelming a listener with a huge choral sound.

This recording of a classic Mozart mass is a perennial favorite of mine -- and McNair's singing of the "Et incarnatus est" could melt marble. In it her voice becomes one of the instruments in Mozart's beautiful orchestration. It is a tribute to McNair's versatility that another favorite recording of mine (Sure Thing) features her renditions of Jerome Kern songs, accompanied by Andre Previn on the piano. She seems equally at home in both classical and popular genres, and she is a delight to listen to.

I own four recordings of this work. At least, I believe I do, but all except this one have turned into coasters. The Gardiner recording, in my mind, clearly stands out as the finest. It displays all the desirable qualities of period recordings - crispness, clarity, authenticity - without nearly any of the drawbacks.

Listeners who are hardcore fans of heavy, "big" Mozart may be turned off, but otherwise I can't imagine anyone not being completely engrossed by this recording. The "clean" period sound may be less melodramatic than Karajan or Marriner (unfortunately Te Kanawa seemed to have entered "diva" stage by the time she made that recording; I had the distinct impression she loved her voice more than the music itself), but certainly Gardiner's trademark "fast" tempos don't get in the way of expressivity and emotion. On the contrary, the clarity of the orchestra and Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir lets the music take center stage - ideal for one of Mozart's most emotive and harmonically interesting works.

Even if those qualities were missing, though, Sylvia McNair alone would justify buying this disc. On my first listen-through of the "Et incarnatus est," I found myself gasping for air as I was unconsciously trying to prevent my own breathing from interfering with hearing her voice. Her performance could be described as "angelic," if that word weren't so overused, and her solo in the "Christe" is equally divine: pure, effortless, and refined. Diana Montague also puts in a beautiful and underrated performance in the "Laudamus Te."

I have enjoyed everything I've bought by the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists when conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. Usually they're on the Archiv label (I'll buy almost anything on Archiv), but since I loved the recordings they made of Bach's St Matthew Passion, Mass in B Minor, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, and the fortepiano versions of Mozart's Piano Concertos, I lapped this one up even though it's not on Archiv.

This is another great recording by Gardiner and crew. As usual, the choir is tremendous and powerful. The soloists soar and the orchestra, though somewhat understated and occassionally - though I'm sure by intention - drowned out by the amazing choir, provides an incredible backdrop. The Mass is an amazing and sadly unfinished work, just like Mozart's Requiem. Fans of the well known K 626 will also love this one. It has a similar feel and sound to it, though the piece simply ends during the Sanctus and was not completed in the way the Requiem was by Mozart's student Sussmayr.

I was almost scared off by the text on the back of the CD cover: "revised and reconstructed by Alois Schmitt & John Eliot Gardiner." This makes it sound like they reworked the entire piece, when in fact it's only the last few sections that were worked over due to the paucity of Mozart's actual notes. All the info you need on this is in the CD booklet, along with a good story about the history of the piece.

Gardiner et al refuse to disappoint. Add this one to your mass collection.

I admit I might be guilty of writing hype, but here Sir John Eliot Gardiner deserves the lavish praise he's earned for conducting the definitive performance of Mozart's great C minor mass, now complete through his musicological efforts. Both the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists sound magnificient; the choir itself gives an absolutely stunning, uplifting performance which is among Philips' best recordings of vocal music. Sylvia McNair's singing of "Et incarnatus est" is one of the finest solo vocal performances I've heard. If one is interested in a great recording of choral and orchestral music, then this is absolutely the one to buy.

I own three recordings, all are excellent in their own way:

Herreweghe (Harmonia Mundi) a dark, intimate performance, though very dramatic in an introvert way.
Christie (Erato and now cheap on elatus), a rather light, elegantly fresh, open and and maybe more neutral performance.
And this one: Gardiner's which is a very lively performance, with big contrasts and dramatic in an extrovert way.

Wich one I like best is hard to say, all have their strengths, although Gardiner's version appears to be the most idiomatic.

Christie's version is rather down to earth and also the quickest in most parts.
For some it could be too fast: the "Et incarnatus est" for instance is the fastest version I heard, just over 6 minutes where others need at least 8 minutes
But it doesn't sound rushed at all, it is completely natural and the soprano Patricia Petibon sings it lovely, a very cean, pure sounding voice almost as lovely as Sylvia McNair's voice on Gardiner's recording.

The "Qui Tollis" however is too fast for my liking, even faster than Herreweghe's already fast chosen tempo.
Gardiner is the best here, much broader in tempi and more "grand" in the choral treatment.
This part really needs some weight in my opinion and Gardiner's bigger choir (at least it sounds bigger than Herreweghe's and Christie's choir) is much preferable over Christie's and Herreweghe's.

Christie's choir is very good although not as refined as Hererweghe's and Gardiner's.
Christie's reading however sounds much like a live concert, something I love very much about this recording, It may not be as virtuoso and transparant as Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir and not as finely polished and intimate as Herreweghe's but it's all the more spontaneous and loose.

Gardiner's choir is virtuoso and although sometimes too "loud" sounding, Gardiner's (miltairy disciplined) force is superior and simply breathtaking.
Even the most dense textures in choral passages remain open and transparant.

Mozart and Gardiner are a successful couple.
All my reservations I often have towards Gardiner in Bach and Handel I don't have in his Mozart.
I don't know exactly why, but everything works here (as it works in his phenomenal Mozart operas recordings)
His orchestra is polished, rhythmic and very light.
Christie's and Herreweghe's players are fine too, in some respect preferable for their more "personal", spontaneous and warmer performance, but Gardiner's English Baroque Soloists are just that more lightfooted and sharp.

Herreweghe is very impressive in the openingchorus Kyrie.
The most dark reading of the three and the most dramatic.
He builds the tension slowly and doesn't need to be as extrovert as Gardiner to make even more impact in this movement.
His is, as said, a darker, more introvert reading,.
Crescendos are restrained a little, but in Herreweghe's highly concentrated treatment of the score, you can feel involvement in every single note, it has more meaning and is in a way more powerful .

The soloists are great in all 3 recordings
Gardiner's Sylvia McNair is so lovely, a very pure girlish voice with little, excellent controlled vibrato.
Patricia Petibon in Christie's recording comes close.
Christie's Lyne Dawson I like the least, although she sings with far less vibrato than Jennifer Larmore in Herreweghe's recording...I don't know why I'm not that fond of her voice in Christie's recording.

It is difficult to pick a favorite, but in the end my vote goes to Gardiner, which sound is more close to what I think Mozart should sound like.
And I like the bigger choir, it adds the extra weight to some passages which fair well with it.
The recording is great, but I would've liked it a bit dryer and closer, although the big resonance does add a (maybe necessary) 'sacred' element to Gardiner's reading.

A must-have.
But I must insist to listen to Christie and Herrweghe too, you don't want to live without those recordings either.

I must agree that this is one fine recording of the lovely c minor mass. In typical John Eliot Gardiner fashion, the entire ensemble sounds like one magnificent, natural voice. Additionally, one can hear what I maintain is the most beautiful recording of human voice: Sylvia McNair's "Et incarnatus est" Don't miss it!!

Referring to previous reviewers, it is immaterial that this work be in C, B or B-flat. This is a great work of the 18th century nevertheless. Perhaps I am tone deaf, perhap I don't have perfect pitch, but this work stands as a masterpiece of Mozart -- albeit unfinished.

The "Kyrie" is elaborate, utilizing a great choir and soloists. Orchestration is abstemious, utiizing strings and percussion.

The "Gloria" utilizes polyphony of a great choir interspersed with solo voices. It is overly elaborate. Mozart has added orchestration peculiar to his period in history. The soprano soloist (Sylvia McNair) has added trills and embellishments which she executes flawlessly. The great choir comes in as a grand finale but not before the sopranos come in as a duet for the last time. The ensemble is nothing but exquisite. Dynamics and harmony are obviously in the hands of a master.

The "Credo" also illustrates beautifully that Mozart had mastered the techniques of his Baroque masters, particularly, the "art of the fugue". "Credo" adds horns to the orchestration. Although Mozart had a preference for sopranos and altos, "Credo" contains a lot of bass. And it also contains a lot of flute and woodwinds.

"Sanctus", the last movement of this album, contains great choral movement and polyphony taught by the Baroque masters.

There is no Benedictus, there is no Agnur Dei and there is no Great Amen on this album. Only Kyrie, Gloria, Credo and Sactus. It leaves you wondering what Mozart would have done if he were dealing with a full deck.

Mozart's MASS IN C MINOR K 427 can be a mixed bag if not under the hands of the right conductor. The work itself is spotty with elements of radiant, exalting beauty along side some (pardon the thought) filler: Mozart himself was aware of this, as the work is unfinished. In the minds of the great conductors the work can sound cohesive and resplendent: at a recent concert with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the LA Phil and the LA Master Chorale, with a bevy of young, mostly Scandinavian soloists who are bound to become well known, the whole seem greater than its parts and it truly soared through the spaces of Disney Hall.

John Eliot Gardiner conducts the English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir in this wholly satisfying performance, rich in nuance and delicate in attention to the abrupt changes in dynamics that Mozart elected to write. The overall sound of the orchestra and chorus is elegant if not exalting. The recording is particularly blessed with the soloists chosen: Sylvia McNair makes her role in the 'Kyrie' and especially in 'Et incarnatus est' not only beautifully sung but with a spiritual essence that allows her soaring soprano to feel other-worldly; Diana Montague tackles the excruciatingly difficult 'Laudamus te' as though it were the simplest tune on record; Anthony Rolfe Johnson's tenor matches McNair and Montague in fine form; and Cornelius Hauptmann does what he can with the negligible bass role.

There are several fine recordings of this work but for overall effect it is difficult to match the beauty of Gardiner's devotion to the score. Grady Harp, October 06

Great Mass in C minor by Gardiner is definitely one of the most beautiful CDs I have ever heard. Gardiner has done an amazing job here ! Sylvia Mcnair is a goddess indeed, and together with the other great solists, and the Monteverdi choir, with a wonderful recording quality, the results are really great. My first review ever is on this CD, I cannot say I love all the mass, but the parts I do love will stay with me me forever. enjoy !

Singing of the "Et incarnatus est" which I consider to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written, is one of the finest renditions. Compare it to EMI recording(Cotrubas/Kanawa/Leppard).