Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala

David Daniels (Artist), Fabio Biondi (Artist), Antonio Vivaldi (Artist), Europa Galante (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 8, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin Veritas
• ASIN: B00005A9NJ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,428 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stylish performances from a fruitful collaboration, January 11, 2002

By 

Vincent Lau - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala (Audio CD)

David Daniels is really a wonder! While the voice of counter tenors is by its nature rather androgynous, there is something both alluring and masculine in Daniels's tone. The so-called "counter-tenor hoot" is largely absent and his sizable voice is vibrant and evenly produced throughout a considerable
range. Daniels is also sensitive towards the words and any variation in musical dynamics and he is willing (and able) to vary the colour of his voice to suit the different musical and textual needs (quite difficult for a falsettist). This makes his interpretation of the 3 sacred works included in this CD both vivid and heart-felt. I would also mention that his breath control is excellent and his coloratura facility quite astounding. (The florid runs in some of the sections would probably tax even the most accomplished of mezzo-sopranos, and yet Daniels is able to toss them off fluently and with great elan.) What charismatic singing!

Fabio Biondi's playing of the violin and viola d'amore and the accompaniment of the Europa Biondi are delightful! Not only are they most musical and alert, they and Daniels work as close partners, each echoing the other's musical inflections. Their embellishments are both interesting and stylish. The music sounds freshly-minted under their combined hands (voices), and there is also a sense of grace and nobility in the performances, which is appropriate for this type of music. The good recording quality further enhances the effect of their fruitful collaboration.

This reviewer does not profess to know much about baroque performance practices, and therefore he cannot say whether the interpretations here are correct or not from an academic perspective. Nevertheless, this release has given me huge pleasure. Do check it out!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid Vivaldi - Daniels, Europa Galante Partner Triumphantly, August 9, 2004

By 

Ed Uyeshima (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala (Audio CD)

Countertenor David Daniels has no problem showcasing his versatility, as he joins forces this time with the seven-man ensemble Europa Galante, led by violinist Fabio Biondi, to provide a wonderfully satisfying performance of these three works by Vivaldi. Like most people who are not well versed in classical music, my only familiarity with Vivaldi prior to this recording was the omnipresent "The Four Seasons", even though he wrote over 500 concertos. That's why this disc is an important addition to any classical music library, as it represents a composer who displayed a strong sense of instruments producing sound color and musical effects of great beauty. When you add the incomparable Daniels to the mix, then the beauty of these works becomes enhanced exponentially.

The disc has the intimate feel of a chamber music recital, and the result is nothing short of a revelation. It paints a broad landscape of moods and textures ranging from the deeply melancholy and religious "Stabat Mater" to the nearly operatic "Longe mala". With the "Stabat Mater", one can almost see the Virgin Mary sitting at the base of the cross. My personal favorite is "Nisi Dominus", which Vivaldi wrote for an especially talented orphan girl to sing on the anniversary of the conservatory at which he taught, the Ospedale della Pietà. This piece allows Daniels to show his dramatic flair in a heartfelt expression of emotions - vigorous awe, sorrow and joy. His uncanny combination of a rich coloratura and a warm, honey-toned timbre allows him to stand head and shoulders above his countertenor brethren. What Daniels does so well is make an otherwise unearthly sound completely natural, and his incredibly flexible legato never feels out of control. Simply compare the ending "Amen" and "Alleluia" arias of the three pieces to gain a full appreciation of what this astounding singer can do with just one word.

To say that Europa Galante simply accompanies Daniels would be a complete understatement, as their instruments appear to be full-fledged partners to his vocals. The coupling works beautifully, especially the string section, which appears to match his vocal intensity note for note. The collaboration makes for a breathtaking recording and yet another impressive milestone in the career of David Daniels.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime (As Usual), September 26, 2002

By 

Neil A. Dellar "parsifal01" (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala (Audio CD)

Having purchased the Scholl version when it was released I must admit to having been a little disappointed. Then came the Daniels' rendition and I realized that, when this particular singer sings, there is little one can do but sit back and let the wonderful, unearthly quality of his voice wash over you. Daniels is an exexceptional singer and this is a wonderful recording. He is admirably accompanied by Fabio Biondi.