Customer Reviews

Mozart: Requiem

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is undoubtedly the finest recording of Mozart's Requiem I've heard. Having owned several recordings of the Requiem Mass, each having its own distinct style (Karajan, Hogwood, Pearlman, Spering, Christie, Solti) this release by Sir Neville Marriner is the recording one finds him or herself coming back to often.

It's a wonderfully dramatic recording. This comes from the same conductor who recorded the soundtrack to Amadeus, of course. It is also a dark sounding record, while most the period-instrument recordings available of KV. 626 are rather light, airy, and superficial for a death mass. While this may be a powerful modern-instrument rendition, it is not a romanticized as Karajan's, which is a good thing.

The soloists are first rate. McNair's voice is perfect in intoning the "Te Decet" with her explicit calmness, yet tacit darkness and tension that you cannot get from Monica Groop, Ruth Ziesak, or Emma Kirkby.

The conducting is careful and the tempi are perfect. You never need to worry about Marriner going to slow as other modern-instrument conductors do. I have never heard a "Recordare" more radiantly executed, or a "Kyrie" with such driving force, or even a technically challenging movement such as the "Domine Jesu" handled with such precision.

The choir is also the strongest choir I've heard sing Mozart's Requiem. This chorus can invoke fear, while other choirs sound either too large or too amateurish for such a piece.

Regarding sound quality, I have never had a problem with the sound as it sounds just as good as any other record in my collection. Maybe it is the resonance of the record, but it does definitely give the record the a large "ecclesiastical" atmosphere, quite appropriate for the music. This recording does NOT seem to have any sound or noise deficiencies one or two other reviewers point out.

I own 4 recordings of Mozart's Requiem, and this one is one of my favorites. Marriner's version is brighter and quicker than the others I have, giving it more energy. It does have a darker feel in places, as it should being a requiem. For a truely dark rendition, I would have to recommend Karajan.

The sound quality of the recording is excellent (DDD). I found myself wishing for more from the tenors in a few places, but that is simply a matter of taste.

This is by far the best recording of the Requiem available. Marriner's tempi are perfect: slow enough for expression, but fast enough to hold interest. Unlike most other recordings, it doesn't drag...but it's also not so fast that everything whooshes by. The orchestra and choir are perfectly balanced...neither one is overpowering. Usually the choir sounds like a bunch of separate groups of singers all recorded separately. In this recording each voice in the choir is heard equally, and therefore sounds like a unit. The soloists are first-class, and their voices blend magnificently. McNair...an angel; she has the most beautiful soprano voice I have ever heard. This cd is almost worth buying just for her breathtaking solo in Tuba Mirum. If you have only one recording of the Requiem, this should be it. It's worth every cent.

I'll be darned if this isn't one of the finest CDs I've ever heard. I must be honest - I am a big Mozart fan and had never heard of Sir Neville Mariner. I know, I know, 'How can you call yourself a Mozart fan if you've never heard of Sir Neville Mariner?' Well in retrospect, I suppose I wasn't a *true* Mozart fan until I stumbled across this CD.

Anywho, on with the review.

The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields Choir is astounding. And with the good Sir Mariner at the head, they can do no wrong. Their performance is impeccable from the slow dark tones of Tuba Mirum to the powerful Rex Tremendae, and everywhere in between.

This is not one of those "good for any kind of mood" pieces of music. If you're willing to sit down and listen to the musicality of it all, it will lift your spirits like nothing else. If however, you listen "superficially," odds are it will either depress the heck out of you or perpetuate your current ill state of mind.

Don't get me wrong! This is some of the best music in the world! But you must bear in mind that it is a Requiem mass - a mass for dead people. It's fantastic music, but not "happy" music.

All in all, this is just about as good as it gets. If you like classical music, and don't already have this recording of this piece, don't leave your seat until you order it. For everyone else, that goes for you, too. I mean that! I want you to have this CD!

When I looked for a version of the Mozart Requiem, I listened to literally 30 recordings until I finally chose this one. The balance, sound, and most importantly musicianship and interpretation are superb. The soloists, and especially Sylivia McNair, are to die for. The piece is breathtaking and beautiful. Don't miss possibly the best recording of the Mozart Requiem to date.

...and I mean it. This is one of the few astonishing renditions of Mozart's Requiem. Franz Xaver Sussmayr's completion of his unfinished work still remains controversial, but I don't see why. It's as majestic & imaginative as Mozart's own classical style and it really fits perfectly from "Domine Jesu" to "Lux Aeterna". As for this performance, it's downright outstanding. The orchestra is top-notch, the soloists are flawless, and the choir is at its highest form. The tempi still may not be as what it was intended to be (conductors John Eliot Gardiner and Philippe Herreweghe must be the only people who gave the Requiem the actual "classical" atmosphere), but it's very close. All in all, one of the finest interpretations ever put on CD.

Of the 3 performances of Mozart's Requiem that I own, this one is my favorite. It's full of energy in all the right places, and really appropriately depressing in all the right places. I've never noticed any problem with the recording quality (and I hope I don't start listening for one now!), although I don't pretend to be an expert.

I'm of the opinion that this is the greatest piece of music ever written, and this the best performance. I end up completely hypnotized by it every time I hear it. Can't add much that hasn't been said.

The only beef I have is with the engineering, in that in an effort to keep from peaking in the fortissimos, the softer parts are occasionally TOO quiet, and I've played it on many different CD players, including professional equiptment. Maybe I need my hearing checked!

For most of the audiences, Neville Marriner's untamed effort for the music has led him to explore many challenges. But in what concerns this performance of the Requiem found him in high inspirational peak.

And the outcome has been fabulous. This version shines with own light among the supreme versions ever recorded of this sublime soul of the most beloved son of Salzburg.

There have been majuscule versions in the past, such as the dramatic version of De Sabata or Walter. But this recording possesses the incandescent flame of the an artistic feat, with lyrical flowing, dramatic expression and vital energy. An unmatched cast makes the rest in this colossal performance that really deserves to occupy a remarkable place in your collection.

Don't miss it.

This is a Requiem that, in true Marriner fashion, avoids any trace of sentimentality, one that strives to maintain strict adherence to the score. Fans of Marriner will appreciate the sensitivity of his conducting, the excellence of the ASMF orchestra and chorus, and the superb soloists featured. Marriner has a calm, assured way with Mozart, which is apparent here. The music is allowed to be seen for what it is, with no fluff or show to get in the way.

However, anyone can make Mozart easy to listen to. And while I think Marriner knows how to do more than this, I find myself wanting a lot in this recording. Friends, this is a Requiem, written by a young genius who was facing the awful tragedy of death. Am I alone in wanting a performance of this piece that will leave me fighting the tears as I face the reality of the mortality of the human race? I tend to think not. But these qualities are the very ones that are lacking here. Marriner realizes to an extent that this is a Requiem, as there is always somberness in the air. But there's more than seriousness to a Requiem; there needs to be a combining of sorrow and hope. I want my Mozart Requiem to be given a performance that will make me want to turn to the piece when I've suffered the loss of a loved one. But listening to Marriner, I never once found myself deeply moved. Part of the problem may be due to the fact that while the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields is a first rate chamber orchestra, they lack the richness and sonority of the likes of Berlin and Vienna, which prevents the strings from diving into a dark world of remorse. I hear technically perfect playing, but I'm not overly impressed by the actual musicality of the orchestra. Don't get me wrong: I love the orchestra, it's just that they don't seem up to par here, for some reason or another. Perhaps Phillips deserves a share of the blame, as the recording engineers certainly could have done a better job. The soloists, all first rate, add some light to the scene, but I don't think they make up for Marriner's faults.

I hope I won't be misunderstood. Marriner is a wonderful conductor, deserving the fame he's received in Mozart. But in the Requiem, he seems to be afraid of showing real emotion, as if though it would be undesirable if the music moved us to tears. Some will like this performance, not minding the missing passion, but you should pass this by if you want an experience that will deeply move you.