Vivaldi: Stabat Mater (Vivaldi Edition)

Sara Mingardo (Artist), Antonio Vivaldi (Composer), Rinaldo Alessandrini (Conductor), Concerto Italiano (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Concerto Italiano
• Conductor: Rinaldo Alessandrini
• Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
• Audio CD (September 10, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naive
• ASIN: B000065SXI
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,970 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing ... Stabat Mater, Opus 111, June 22, 2005

By 

Steffan Piper (Palm Desert, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vivaldi: Stabat Mater (Vivaldi Edition) (Audio CD)

I really enjoy this compilation and find it very different from the many other versions of Stabat Mater by Vivaldi that I've heard. While the packaging is a bit chic and designed to capture the eye of a more younger crowd, obviously hoping to take classical music to new places as is the struggle in this field today. This is one in a series, which I've listened to and can say that, as a whole they are all very worthy recordings. The sound quality is very good as far as the ability to "properly" record classical music.

So many Sound Engineers get stuck in a 'pop music' mode when having to face classical recordings, it seems to continually baffle them for some reason. The hope in Vivaldi, as many know, is to not focus on the soloist or what would be seen in modern music as the front-end but listen to the piece as a whole and moreso listening to the "back' tones or undercurrent, which are complex and lost so many times by Rock/Modern sound engineers. This is the real sound which was intended by the composer, almost four hundred years ago.

This recording, overlooked nobly by Laurence Heym, delivers a very rich and rewarding Vivaldi experience. Sara Mingardo is a very talented, commanding and lush Contralto. Perhaps one of the best that I've heard in recent years. And no, that's not her on the cover. The playing is very precise and seamless, wonderfully directed by Rinaldo Allessandrini. I highly recommend this offering by the National University Library in Turin.

And lastly, as a historical note, this was thought to be light years beyond anything at the time when Vivaldi wrote it, which he did very quickly, and it brought people to thier knees, ... which was much appreciated by the Church.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Recording in a Great Series, September 7, 2007

By 

Kyle E. Lockhart "zombieboy" (Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vivaldi: Stabat Mater (Vivaldi Edition) (Audio CD)

I have generally enjoyed all the items I have purchased from this series. This disc, however, is among my favorites. Mingardo is a singer I was not very familiar with until I began listening to these Vivaldi Edition releases. She has an wonderful voice that is very well suited to the pieces on this disc. The singing is not only technically above par but her singing also communicates the text well and brings the music to life. Additionally, the ensemble playing on the disk is really top notch. I purchased this mainly for the vocal works but find the concerti equally, if not more, exciting.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best stabat mater, January 25, 2011

By 

Simon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vivaldi: Stabat Mater (Vivaldi Edition) (Audio CD)

To my ears, this is the best performance of the Stabat Mater, at least from the 3 performances that i heard:
1. Negri with Kowalski: a good performance, but the use of modern instruments mar the delicate balance.
2. Bancini and scholl: A problematic performance. Scholl get here the full scope with the orchestra quite at the back of the stage, just like a bad concerto.
Moreover, Scholl's singing is a bit detached from the context, and there were moments when i felt that he don't remember if he sing Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Schutz, etc.

3. Alessandrini and Mignardo: as i said, this is the best performance. The combination between the fiery Alessandrini and the introvertic and emotional singing of Mignardo (plus the excellent recording) is unbeatable!