[Ko Nectic Jazz]

My classical lovers friends,
I'm sad just right now...

I've always loved Messa Di Requiem by Verdi.
I bought Carlo Maria Guillini's direction, and I loved it, excepted in one thing :
the recording quality deeply sucks !!... This was a record for vinyl Remastered for cd, and it is a disaster... You have all the saturation caused by the dynamic that vinyl could never handled.
My point is not to revive this old debate.

My point is that I can't find a good interpretation anywhere on CD...
I need your help. Does anybody know one to save me ?...
(please, don't tell me Karajan's one... I know it and I know Karajan too. No comment)

 

[jagorev]

Shaw's recording on Telarc has excellent sound and singing. Bernstein's version on Sony Classical is quite exciting. Another worthy choice is Muti on EMI Classics (coupled with a Cherubini Requiem).

 

[zotjen]

Check out this thread:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...=verdi+requiem

 

[Ko Nectic Jazz]

I've already heard Harnoncourt and Gardiner, but I'm not satisfied with Harnoncourt, he's making his chorus screaming in Dies Irae and is directing the orchestra in a too academical way.

Gardiner is much more energetic, but I'm afraid him to be a bit too agressive... We'll see.

Shaw is the only one that haven't been able to hear on what I want. I try to look further.
Bernstein was indeed interesting, the problem is that I can't actually concider him as a serious conductor. He's always too conmmercial in his interpretations, using Hollywood tricks sometime.

I think nobody has already gave a really good interpretation of this opus.
It is always either too violent and excessive, or too wise, controlled and analytic, expecting the public to learn every instrument with the orchestra.

Nobody has really given a really sensible interpretation as Malgoire has done with Lully and Charpentier.

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ko Nectic Jazz Shaw is the only one that haven't been able to hear on what I want. I try to look further. Bernstein was indeed interesting, the problem is that I can't actually concider him as a serious conductor. He's always too conmmercial in his interpretations, using Hollywood tricks sometime.

Although this criticism is somewhat true, I also think it makes Bernstein a very appropriate conductor for this operatic and romantic Requiem. Verdi is definitely quite "Hollywood" in his bombast and extroversion.

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

screw sound quality.

buy the fricsay recording:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...g=UTF8&s=music

that frenchman sure gets a purty sound out of the orchestra/chorus.
(well regarded as a classic for verdi's requiem)

 

[Ko Nectic Jazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagorev Although this criticism is somewhat true, I also think it makes Bernstein a very appropriate conductor for this operatic and romantic Requiem. Verdi is definitely quite "Hollywood" in his bombast and extroversion.

This is true. Although, I think that many conductors give an excessive role to timbales. Or, sound engineers may have a tendancy to underestimate drums impact.
Futhermore, many times I realised that orchestras are loosing the rythm, making your hears confused in this sort of mass of sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XXhalberstramXX screw sound quality. buy the fricsay recording: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...g=UTF8&s=music that frenchman sure gets a purty sound out of the orchestra/chorus. (well regarded as a classic for verdi's requiem)

Well sometimes I can handle old records, but most of the time I can't.
The first, and rare time I loved an old record, it was on the Andante from the 3rd Brahms Symphony by Mengelberg. God, I never heard a better one for now. It could be Haitink, Abbado, none has understood its density. It is always conventional and slow, and very-very dark. Mostly depressed...

However it still is very rare for me.
I'll try to listen to it, anyway, but I think we can't get rid off the spacial effects on such a piece.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XXhalberstramXX screw sound quality. buy the fricsay recording: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...g=UTF8&s=music that frenchman sure gets a purty sound out of the orchestra/chorus. (well regarded as a classic for verdi's requiem)

Agree......in previous Verdi Requiem thread I gave top marks to:
Fricsay/DG Originals
Gardiner/Phillips

I find Gardiner to be very close to ideal tempo for newer stereo version......if you are looking for slow sluggish bloated well recorded performances there are many out there but they seem as dull as a butter knife to me