Mozart - Requiem / Kirkby · Watkinson · Rolfe Johnson · D. Thomas · AAM · Hogwood

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Artist), Christopher Hogwood (Artist), Emma Kirkby (Artist), Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Artist), The Academy of Ancient Music (Artist), Westminster Cathedral Choir (Artist), Carolyn Watkinson (Artist), David Thomas (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000004CX8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,175 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #8 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Kirkby, Emma
  • #51 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > H to L
  • #97 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Early Music > Forms & Genres > Requiems

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great recording of a lesser-known arrangement of this work, September 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mozart - Requiem / Kirkby · Watkinson · Rolfe Johnson · D. Thomas · AAM · Hogwood (Audio CD)

This is a superb recording, featuring some of the best voices in choral music today. Because Mozart died before he finished the Requiem, there are several versions of the finished piece arranged by students or colleagues of Mozart after his death. This is the only recording I have been able to find of the Maunder version of the Requiem. The more popular version of the Requiem is arranged by Sussmayer, a student of Mozart's, and it's often hard to find anything different. This is a beautiful, moving piece of music and I would highly recommend this recording.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful contribution by Emma Kirkby., January 27, 2002

By 

Anton Karidian (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart - Requiem / Kirkby · Watkinson · Rolfe Johnson · D. Thomas · AAM · Hogwood (Audio CD)

This edition of the Requiem tries to eliminate anything that was not written by the hand of Mozart. Sussymayer, Eybler tamperings are not presented here in the Maunder edition.

This version is an early 80's recording with Christopher Hogwood with the signature "Hogwood" sound. Beautifully recorded and buoyant. I do recommend this version for the fine singing of soprano Emma Kirkby.

Hogwood chooses to use the Maunder edition which substitutes key sections with pieces from other Mozart compositions in an effort to keep the composition as purely Mozart as possible. In doing so, he may have achieved to some degree a more "pure" Mozart authorship, but on the other hand the piece has lost it's overall musical structure and proportion and in this respect it is clearly less "Mozartian".

Still, it is interesting to listen to this version but if I were limited to only one version I would choose the Sussmayr edition and in this regard I recommend the one directed by George Guest and the English Chamber Orchestra with Choir of St. John Cambridge recorded on Chandos.

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best I've heard, August 18, 2000

By 

Jonathan J. Casey (the twin cities) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mozart - Requiem / Kirkby · Watkinson · Rolfe Johnson · D. Thomas · AAM · Hogwood (Audio CD)

I'm going to slyly avoid the arguments about the different versions of Mozart's Requiem mass, because the most important thing to me is the quality of the performance: and Hogwood's is the best. While I enjoyed listening to William Christie's recording, and Herreweghe's disc excels in the trumpets and drums department (very crisp), what really stands above on this recording is Emma Kirkby's perfect solo voice. When her voice first rings out, it is the most pure and beautiful I can imagine. Not Figueras on Savall's rendition, nor the soloists for Christie, Herreweghe, and Gardiner, are her equal. Kirkby avoids the trappings of vibrato and other inappropriate colorations, and simply shines through. The AAM plays very well and the boys chorus brings a haunting, gorgeous touch to the Confutatis. This is a recording that should last through the ages as a classic, I hope. We are fortunate that it is still available!