Customer Reviews

Verdi: Messa da Requiem [Hybrid SACD]

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

 

 

Harnoncourt is thoroughly convincing in presenting the Requiem as a series of intense prayers/meditations on death. The approach is similar to his Aida - not allowing volume or histrionics to overwhelm either the listener or the singers. This allows him to explore Verdi's orchestral colours and nuances and the soloists and choir to sing beautifully and meaningfully.
What is revealed is the work's religious ambiguity, its similarities with Verdi's operas, its roots in Gregorian chant, and its astounding newness and uniqueness. This is a performance to live with. Highly recommended.

... continues with Verdi's boombastic and big take on Requiem, an opera disguised as a Mass for the Dead. After Harnoncourt's radical approach to Mozart's Requiem, I expected something fresh in his reading and he does not disappoint.

First of all, the sound is amazing; I can only comment on the quality of the regular CD, but it's outstanding how this recording benefits from the close, clean and very intimate settings. This is Verdi devoid of histrionics, brash sound and Halloween horror, but still very intense.

The beginning sequences are beautifully subdued; the Arnold Schoenberg Choir continues to make the stand as one of the best choruses in the world. When listening to other recordings of Kyrie, I am usually twiddling with volume controls, trying to actually hear anything- that's not the case here. These extreme pianissimos are, for once, soft, not just inaudible. And when the chorus picks up at "Te Decet Hymnus", their sound is still beautiful transparent, just more intense. In later sequences, in Dies Irae, and especially in Sanctus, which is so easily turned into out of control train wreck, the chorus is in perfect control of the line, and the flow of music.

The orchestra playing throughout the whole disc is exceptional, and they are nuances in the instrumental texture that I never even noticed before. The brass section in particular does amazing things- there were moments where I was just shaking my head in disbelief. I had no idea Verdi could sound so lean, clean and great- this is not the usual wall of sound, where every instrument just plays loud and fights for survival.

I am, however, less impressed with the soloists. As much as I don't like the tenors in general and would like to replace the whole lot with pushed up baritones, Michael Schade is in my good graces as an excellent Mozart singer. Here, though, he sounds stretched to his limits and with a few moments of great beauty, the overall impression is that this is not a good fit for him. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo is earnest, but out of depth - I would like a deeper, truer bass. Soprano Eva Mei does not quite make it as a truly dramatic soprano this work requires, especially in the closing Libera Me. Mezzo Bernarda Fink is way too wide in her vibratto for my taste; Liber Scriptus is one of my favourite moments in Verdi's Requiem, and she simply does not deliver, vocally and dramatically. I understand this is Harnoncourt's approach, to have singers with lighter voices, and they do blend beautifully together- Mei and Fink are perfect in the Recordare duet- but given all the great soloists from the past, especially Marilyn Horne and Pavarotti (who once was an artist and not a handkerchief clutching clown), comparisons are inevitable and not favourable.

Another problem is with the tempi; there are no bizarre choices here, like the insanely fast Hostias on Mozart's Requiem, but still, Dies Irae, for example, is unusually slow.

Overall, this is a beautifully different take on Verdi's Requiem, though newcomers may want to try the little more traditional Gardiner, and even Solti's big scale recordings first.

Harnoncourt's version of Verdi's religious operetta was recorded in concert in the Musikverein in late 2004. The recording carries the label of hybrid SACD in surround sound. The publicity on the back cover indicates the version uses a new edition that projects the spiritual, not operatic, qualities of the music.

I am not so certain about either of the latter statements above. It seems to me Harnoncourt merely starts slowly and does not project the kind of demonic end of world quality in the Dies Irae that Solti and other more hot-blooded conductors bring to the music. Otherwise, this seems like a straightforward reading that is neither operatic nor spiritual.

For me, the best part of this is the singing by the vocal quartet. This begins in the latter sections of the Dies Irae and continues through the second half. Each soloist is wonderfully captured by the clear recording, with exceptional elocution.

I enjoyed the singing throughout almost as much as I enjoyed Harnoncourt eschewing personal affectation from the recording. Anyone that's heard a half-dozen recordings by this conductor knows he goes in for italicized accents, weird tenuto and other devices that seem to break up the melodic flow for no good reason. Fortunately, Harnoncourt withheld this completely throughout this concert recording.

The SACD recording is clear and captures even the biggest moments with clarity, projection and without congestion or dissonance. I played this on my 5.1 SACD player and system, where the playback was in stereo only. This leads me to believe this is a stereo recording, not true multichannel. It played fine and sounded good in stereo reproduction on my five channel system.

Having said this, it is my opinion this version does not compete very well with the SACD recording of Ormandy's 1964 performance, however. Ormandy's 83-minute performance also has the advantage of being on a single disk, making this one twice as expensive while being less good.

All things considered, this is a good if somewhat reserved performance of the Requiem. Compared to other stereo versions I've owned and heard -- led by Ormandy, Muti, Abbado, Giulini and Gardiner -- this can be a contender for people that aren't interested in the hysterical end of world approach.

I just heard this much-maligned recording of the Verdi Requiem and must respectfully disagree with the overall negative feedback.

I found this new recording of the Verdi Requiem to be a very enjoyable listening experience.

While it is true that the soloists are not blow-down-the-walls vocal battleships, they are anything but inadequate. It is actually quite refreshing to be able to hear the notes without putting up with the schmaltz and theatrics which you hear from, e.g, Renee Fleming and Leontyne Price.

Eva Mei, soprano, has been singled out for special criticsm by the likes of Gramophone Magazine. But I found her voice to be a real pleasure to hear. Her register changes are not so stomach-wrenching like Price's.

I was especially happy to finally hear the Arnold Schoenberg Choir; I was quite pleased. Despite their name, they sound fine with Verdi: balance and ensemble work were all top-notch.

Harnoncourt and the Vienna Philharmonic may sound like a classical "Odd Couple," but they make wonderful music together in this recording.

This is not a "fast" performance, but I don't agree it is overly slow as some suggest. FYI, the Riccardo Muti CD is actually a few seconds longer than Harnoncourt's. I liked the slower tempo of the Dies Irae; I don't think it took away anything of the drama of the music.

My only criticism are the rather bizarre liner notes. They appear to have been written by an anti-religion social activist ranting about WMDs and globalisation, and who regards Verdi's Requiem as a denunciation of the evils of humanity. Very weird.

Engineering sound was very good. Packaging is compact. Texts and translations included.

The best thing about this performance is the excellent SACD sound - highly detailed and spacious. As a performance, it is not up to par with other versions on my shelves - including De Sabata, Giulini (I & II), Gardiner, Ormandy, Reiner, the the ancient Serafin. Harnoncourt's conducting sometimes seems to slight the drama of the score and is on the leisurely side despite revealing a wealth of detail in the scoring.

I don't particularly care for the soloists. Mei, whom I know primarily from lighter roles (like the Don Pasquale Norina) sounds overparted by the soprano role. Fink sounds shaky at times (the opening of the Lux aeterna). Schade can't disguise the fact that his voice is a size or two too small for Verdi's demands. D'Arcangelo is a relatively light voiced bass, but has a vibrant sound and acquits himself pretty well.

If you must have the latest in sound technology, this is your choice - Sony's Ormandy SACD is a re-tread of of May, 1964 stereo sessions. Ormandy's tenor (Richard Tucker) is a tenore robusto but not terribly subtle. George London (bass) was past his best years by the time of the recording. The ladies (Amara and Forrester) are OK but not the last word.

Giulini's EMI recording has long been my favorite version of this great work. Despite a lack of weight in her lyric voice, Schwarzkopf manages a strong performance capped by a very fine "Libera me". Christa Ludwig's warm and brilliant voice is quite wonderful in the mezzo part. Gedda is also very good and I consider Ghiaurov, with his wide range of vocal color, the best on record in the work since Pinza. (Talvela's weighty bass under Solti is excellent but monotonous in comparison.)

Other interesting options include Gardiner's "period instrument" effort and Reiner's Decca recording with some very interesting soloists (young Leontyne Price, Rosalind Elias, Bjoerling, and Tozzi). If you don't mind mono sound, De Sabata's EMI recording (Schwarzkopf, Dominguez, Di Stefano and Siepi) is worth investigating. Despite the 1939 sound, Serafin's Rome recording with Caniglia, Stignani, Gigli and Pinza remains a strong contender and excellent example of full blooded singing.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt surprised me by creating another pleasurable and memorable rendition of Giuseppe Verdi's requiem that I have heard. The Wiener Philharmoniker and Schoenberg Choir sound so heavenly every time I listen to their enchanting performances. The soloists Schade, D'Arcangelo, Fink, & Mei are incredible when they sing their hearts out in this one. For the requiem itself, each segment in these two CD's are something worthwhile. The "Dies Irae" has never sounded this fantastic since the release of the Muti, Solti, and Tabakov releases, thanks to the overwhelmingly clear Hybrid sound quality. Tuba Mirum and Rex Tremendae are exquisite in power and precision, while Recordare, Ingemisco, Quid sum miser, and Lacrymosa have a smooth and tranquil pace. The four soloists are at their supreme in the Offertorio, fulfilling every note with passion and elegance. The Libera Me is the most emotional yet, thanks to Mei's lovely articulations and the choir's gorgeous sensation in presentation.

Harnoncourt joins in with Muti, Solti, and Tabakov into creating another celestial rendition of Verdi's operatic elegy. Clearly the conductor has discovered the many details in this piece that has been overshadowed by other conductors' faster tempi. This gem is an absolute steal for those who are either a big fan of church music or a Verdi purist who needs just one more CD to complete his collection.

Harnoncourt's foray into Aida some years ago was unfortunate, and so is this Verdi Requiem, for the same reason. He has a stiff, Teutonic style that sounds wrong for the music. That's not to detract form his musicianship; Fischer-DIeskau made a terrible Rigoletto because he was a fish out of water, too. From the opening number on there's no sense of reverence or emotional warmth, and by eschewing operatic excitement in the Dies Irae, the conductor makes it sound flat.

The Vienna Phil. are capable of sounding Verdian, as they did so spledidly under Reiner in this work. Here they too often seem constrained by Harnoncourt's sobrieyt. when the brass cut ooose, the sonic effect is tremendous, needless to say. Using a small professional chorus like the Anold Schoenberg is a major plus in terms of precision, diciton, and intonation. As for the solo quartet, only the bass D'Arcangelo possesses a large enough voice. The ideal is to transplant the leads from Trovatore or Aida into the cathedral; here they have wandered in from cosi fan tutte.

given how many great versions of this work already exist, Harnoncourt counts as no more than a good effort executed in the wrong style. If you must have a cooler, smaller Verdi Requiem, there is always Gardiner on Philips, which has the added advantage of fitting on one CD.

While the chorus doesn't quite live up to its potential in this superbly lyrical score, both the soloists and the orchestra are beyond reproach. I was mesmerized- best recording of this piece that I have heard in years.

The stars of this show are the Vienna Philarmonic and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor. The singers are miscast, their voices being too light for their parts. The worst is Eva Mei, who sounds shrill and tremulous when not singing pianissimo. Despite the claim in the back cover, this is no more "deeply religious" than any of the other Verdi Requiem recordings available. A disappointment on almost every count, orchestra and chorus excepted.

Having listened to this sacd version of the Verdi Requiem for a while, I finally decided it was not a keeper. So I guess I hear and weigh things differently from some of the other posting reviewers. I took trade credit when this set wore through for me.

Let's start with what works well in this set. First off, the sacd sound is an enhancement. If ever classical repertoire could benefit from multi-channel surround sound, we should certainly have the Verdi Requiem on our demo lists. It is not just the vivid brass choirs, sounding the Last Judgment from the four corners of the trembling earth, it is the sheer panoply of the work that more than fills five hifi channels in a home theater system. So far, then, the surround competition only includes two other performances, a newish one by Marcus Bosch and the Aachen Symphony plus cast on Coviello, and a vivid DVD audio of the Gergiev/Kirov performance, flawed by Andrea Bocelli's occasional pop phrasing.

Perhaps the best sacd version of them all so far that I have kept in my fav shelves is (in my opinion) the remastered Ormandy/Philadelphia version on sacd-only stereo Sony.

Despite its age (1964), and despite having only two channels to present, this recording now achieves something like historic status as an example of how good stereo master tapes from the stereo golden age could be, though we never heard everything before. Thanks to the exemplary stereo engineering, the sound stage of this older master tape is now incredibly accurate, full-range, and present. One hears, not only each and every player/singer, individually, small group sectioned, and massed in very large forces, one also hears the resonance of the venue. None of this detail is forced, artificial, or in any way a detraction from the music. Yes, Ormandy can be faulted, maybe, for being rather direct in his Verdi; but that wears deep and well on repeated hearings, and he is never uninvolved or mauling the phrase with applications of musical ego, strong-armed into Verdi from outside the musical drama. The four soloists would have been rather regarded as very solid, but not especially flashy, Verdi singers in their day. Richard Tucker helped hold down the Verdi wing at the New York Met, and ditto for bass-baritone George London (who also sang great Wagner Wotan's). Canada's blessedly rich and intelligent Maureen Forrester certainly had all that the requiem demands. The USA's Lucine Amara would have been considered just a tad light in voice for the customary heft, and soaring soprano drama of her part.

Not to worry. What no matter how any individual solo voice might have raised minor questions on its own, the four together are simply superb. In retrospect, and rather triumphing in comparison to what is supposed to pass for an archetypal Verdi voice in the Hanoncourt set, these folks are gorgeous. And so in tune with one another as a quartet.

My praise of Ormandy's golden age soloists suggests what I hear missing from Harnoncourt. That is, the soloists. Like Harnoncourt's Verdi Aida, he seems here to be trying to make some renewal point by using lighter voices. Gardiner did something like that in his set without choosing at all badly. But whereas we can count Gardiner's soloists as beautiful and successful, alone and together, I cannot agree for the Harnoncourt foursome. I write this, acknowledging that I cherish Michael Schade in other performances on other recordings. Ditto, for Mei, Fink, and D'Arcangelo. Nor are the somewhat lighter voices used in the Gergiev DVD audio version - except for Bocelli in passing passages, who does well in other passages - lacking.

The other fault, perhaps, in the set is Harnoncourt's leadership and vision. He can take a slow tempo, but it achieves flowing forward movement at the expense of that rock solid understructure in slow tempos that we can hear in the likes of Otto Klemperer, Kurt Sanderling, or even Ormandy. We have no Bruno Walter recording of the Verdi Requiem, but Harnoncourt is no match for the Bruno Walter combination of flexibe phrasing and rock of Gibraltar basic tempo, in any case.

Avoid this set, unless you swoon at the mention of Harnoncourt's name. He does not do all that badly here, except when you stop to listen again to all the other recordings which have done so much better in so many different ways. Gergiev, in multichannel dvd audio, even has something to offer in fire and drama and lyrical lift that Harnoncourt lacks. And for sacd classic-historic, unicorn-fabulous recreation, the remastered stereo sacd Ormandy/Philadelphia will make your ears sizzle while your heart sings and your embodied soul prays. Purchase at your own risk, then, and consider your other options. Three sacd stars - for sound, mainly, and in continuing affection to Vienna.