Mozart: Requiem / Tomowa-Sintow, Müller Molinari, Cole, Burchuladze; von Karajan

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Performer), Wiener Philharmoniker (Performer), Vienna Singverein (Artist), Herbert von Karajan (Artist), Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Artist), Helga Muller Molinari (Artist), Vinson Cole (Artist), Paata Burchuladze (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wiener Philharmoniker
• Audio CD (October 11, 1994)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000001GK8
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,212 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music and Voice, November 27, 2001

By 

Amir Ismail (Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart: Requiem / Tomowa-Sintow, Müller Molinari, Cole, Burchuladze; von Karajan (Audio CD)

There is no need to say anything about Mozart's Requiem, as the facts are mostly known. The point, however, is to review Karajan's interpretation. This recording by far is the finest I have heard. I heard Karajan's with the Berliner and the Wiener; Bohm's, Abbado's, Shaw's, and Muti's.

Karajan's Wiener stands out in the fact that the music seems to come from the voice and vice versa. It is not voice and orchestra playing side by side, but a beautiful whole that seems to stem one from the other. The playing is lean, yes; but you can hear minute details and still feel the amazing weight of Mozart's final masterpiece. It's leanness is not a diminishing factor here.

It has been creticized many times - the leanness of Karajan's late style, but it is a style that gives the listener the chance to interact with his music through searching and understanding it rather than merely listen to a conductor's interpretation. It It does not overwhelm the listener but allow's him/her to get to know the music better.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mozart: Requiem / Tomowa-Sintow, Müller Molinari, Cole, Burchuladze; von Karajan, August 5, 2007

By 

Bjorn Viberg (European Union) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart: Requiem / Tomowa-Sintow, Müller Molinari, Cole, Burchuladze; von Karajan (Audio CD)

Mozart: Requiem / Tomowa-Sintow, Müller Molinari, Cole, Burchuladze; von Karajan~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a splendid recording with the talented and brilliant Herbert Von Karajan. The pacing is right on the mark and this probably one of the best recordings that I have ever heard of this particular piece in question. As when it comes to any Deutsche Grammophon recording the sound is astounding and the vocal skills of the singers is without a doubt high-class. The book-let is great with well-written liner notes and an interesting short essay written Alex Hyatt King. The book-let also has some very nice photos. von Karajan is so passionate and intense and one can verily feel his passion for the music as one listens to this truly stupendous recording. Highly recommended indeed. 5 stars without a doubt!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars He had it down with the 1976 recording!, February 2, 2009

By 

Wolfgang Jaeger (Pleasant Grove, UT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mozart: Requiem / Tomowa-Sintow, Müller Molinari, Cole, Burchuladze; von Karajan (Audio CD)

There is no end to the number of people who will tell you that Karajan was no real interpreter of Mozart. Personally, I reject that idea completely: he is my favourite Mozart conductor. It seems to be the trend to treat Mozart's music too lightly, with little, if any, real emotion. The great German conductors of the early part of the twentieth century saw it differently, and I'm not sure why we've moved away from that (to see what I mean, listen to Furtwangler's Don Giovanni and compare it with someone like Solti or Davis). But Karajan certainly bucks the trend!
Karajan gives a wonderful reading of the Requiem in this recording. It is vital, full-bodied, and passionate.
But I will say that this is not my favourite Karajan recording of the Requiem. The best in my opinion is the 1976 recording made with the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Wienersingverein (same choir is also used in this recording). In comparison with the earlier recording, the tempi are a bit more mild: not quite as fast or as slow. The balance between the orchestra and the choir is marginally better with this recording, but for as good an orchestra as the the Wiener Philharmoniker is, they just don't compete with the BPO. They play a little too conservatively; not enough real weight (but that does lend to a more transparent sound, if that's what you're looking for).
The choir is a little more balanaced overall than in the earlier recording (the 1976 is a little Bass heavy). The soloists in the present recording are also not equal to what Karajan had ten years earlier. They don't blend all that well, nor is their sound indivually very refined.
You can't go too wrong with this recording, but I would look first to the 1976 version.