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Verdi Requiem

post #1 of 18
3/23/06 at 6:57pm
Thread Starter 
I know this is probably discussed elsewhere, but I'm too lazy to do a search.

Just picked up the Shaw/Atlanta Verdi Requiem and am....underwhelmed.

Any recommendations of good ones?
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post #2 of 18
3/23/06 at 7:11pm
Try the Gardiner/ORR version.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000418W
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post #3 of 18
3/23/06 at 8:24pm
If by good one you mean blood and guts and drama in the extreme and good sound (that's what I want) -- and as far as this music goes, Shaw/Telarc is actually one of the best, so I'm not sure what you want.

Muti's 1978 version on EMI has all the power you could want, even more than Shaw. THe Reiner and Ormandy are also superb, but not first class digital sound. The early Guilini on EMI is probably the hottest version I know, but the sound isn't with a lot of distortion at the climaxes. Abaddo's newer DG version is good, too. For period performances (why?) the Gardiner/Philips is a good bet.

Oddly, the Solti RCA is not good at all.

Probably the best performance is Toscanini's - no surprise there. Unfortunately, the sound is ancient.
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post #4 of 18
3/23/06 at 10:50pm
This one conducted by Fritz Reiner is considered one of the best, and you can't beat the vocalists.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=glance&n=5174
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post #5 of 18
3/23/06 at 11:21pm
So far, the Giulini is the one to beat, afaic.

Anyone have information or opinions on the Harnoncourt VR which is now out in SACD/hybrid multichannel?


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post #6 of 18
3/24/06 at 2:07am
Herbert von Karajan recorded a live Requiem in Salzburg at the '58 Festspiele. Now, one must understand that it was done at the Felsenreitschule, so there are some venue issues; however, the Wiener Philharmoniker does a capital job. This was when Von Karajan was still very, very good - and he was always suited to the demands of the Verdian repertoire. The soloists are Leonie Rysanek, Christa Ludwig, Giuseppe Zampieri, and Cesare Siepi. For a live, festival show, they all do a great job. The EMI release has a Bruckner Te Deum (with Price, Hildegard Rössl-Majdan, Fritz Wunderlich, and Walter Berry), which is largely why I bought it. However, the Requiem is a solid record.
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post #7 of 18
3/24/06 at 3:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TMHBAT
Try the Gardiner/ORR version.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000418W
Seconded. I have been satisfied in my experience with it so far, and what a choir!
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post #8 of 18
3/24/06 at 4:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunnyears
So far, the Giulini is the one to beat, afaic.

Anyone have information or opinions on the Harnoncourt VR which is now out in SACD/hybrid multichannel?
I have it!!! (I never let a new Harnoncourt CD ).

I said something here:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...5&postcount=31

and
here:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...8&postcount=81

Bought the first day they have it at the store.!!!

I find it brilliant and very, very operatic and I like it very much (but I liked the intimacy of his hew Messiah too ).
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post #9 of 18
3/24/06 at 5:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shosta
I find it brilliant and very, very operatic and I like it very much (but I liked the intimacy of his hew Messiah too ).
So you are saying that H's Verdi Requiem is not like his new Messiah at all - good, or I am skipping it as I did the Messiah. (Honestly, intimacy with a largish group of singers and musicians on stage seems a downright weird idea to me. )
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post #10 of 18
3/24/06 at 10:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TMHBAT
Try the Gardiner/ORR version.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000418W
Yes I also will have to go with Gardiner/Phillips here........if you like this style get the Fricsay/DG Originals Requiem, a mono 1954 performance (with good mono sound) and like Gardiner very dramatic.

MB
You are right Solti surprisingly does not deliver the goods here, the Shaw/Telarc is better but not one of my very favorites, I must confess to not liking Shaw's style in general with his religious choral works for Telarc, so I may be biased here.

Zotjen
Wasn't aware of that Reiner/Decca Legends stereo Requiem, that could be one I would like to get sometime.

Shosta
You had me ready for Harnoncourt's new Requiem till you mentioned liking his new Messiah which I found to be lacking in several respects......were you just joking about the new Messiah? (I actually sold mine)
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post #11 of 18
3/24/06 at 10:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Masolino
So you are saying that H's Verdi Requiem is not like his new Messiah at all - good, or I am skipping it as I did the Messiah. (Honestly, intimacy with a largish group of singers and musicians on stage seems a downright weird idea to me. )
Yes. First of all I must say that the two Requiem of Verdi I had as reference are the Giulini and Gardiner (you posted this before).
And I like specially Gardiner.
When listened to Harnoncourt I found it very drammatic and very passionated. And, yes, very different to the Messiah. But I listened to the Requiem months before than the Messiah so I never searched for 'intimacy' there.
When arrive at home tonight I'll give it a new listen to refresh this thoughts.
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post #12 of 18
3/24/06 at 11:35am
Thanks to everyone for their input re Harnoncourt. I have been considering it. Harnoncourt is someone who is interesting even when his work is not successful.
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post #13 of 18
3/24/06 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkAngel
Shosta
You had me ready for Harnoncourt's new Requiem till you mentioned liking his new Messiah which I found to be lacking in several respects......were you just joking about the new Messiah? (I actually sold mine)
I know you sold the Messiah (I think I read it in other thread).
I understand the feelings about the Messiah but I listened to it (as I said in the other thread) with headphones, late in the night, and.... I liked. I'm guilty The new Messiah is different, and, in general I liked at first time. And I found this performance, for home listening, very pleasant. In a sense is a Chamber like approach. And I'm latin, I don't have the choral-english background to the Messiah. Now I'm joking.

I'm listening again the Requiem and it's different to the Messiah. It's more like Gardiner approach, A little slower I think subjetively. Singers offer performances very operatic, showing pity, pain, wrath,... Very, very human.
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post #14 of 18
3/24/06 at 1:20pm
I only have the Giulini on EMI and von Karajan on DG, but I cannot make a choice which I like best. If I am pressed, I think I have to choose the Karajan, not because of the artistical qualities, but because of the recording and feeling of a Requiem. IMO, Karajan is very Karajan in this recording, and in my taste that offers a pleasant balance to the Verdi approach to a requiem.
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post #15 of 18
3/24/06 at 2:25pm
Agree the Giulini is musically grand, but a shame that it sounds as bad as it does, especially in the various Dies Irae.

Too bad, because I have Giulini Don Giovanni from same era (also EMI, I think) and it sounds pretty dang good.
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