Mozart Requiem - Bernstein 1988 - Solti 1991 - Abbado 1999

“

Mozart's unfinished Requiem has long been shrouded in mystery. Mozart undertook the commission for an Austrian nobleman, little knowing that he was to write a requiem for himself. Inevitably, the secrecy surrounding the anonymous commission, the circumstances of Mozart's death, the unfinished state of the work, and its completion under the direction of Mozart's widow, Constanze, have precipitated two centuries of romantic speculation and scholarly controversy. ~ Christoph Wolff

”

Here a comparative audition is proposed.

The first proposed version is Leonard Bernstein’s 1988 performing with Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, known for radical liberties with the tempos.
Bernstein romanticizes this work... he slows it down and he conducts it in a way that feels more like 19th century romanticism rather than the classically, square approach of the 18th century. Maybe Mozart would have appreciated this rendition because he was a creative thinker!

The second version is Georg Solti 1991 performing with Wiener Philarmoniker for the 200th commemoration of Mozart’s death.
Solti is in top form here conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in a very powerful and fiery performance of this most famous of requiems. While some conductors take the Kyrie pretty slow, Solti kicks it in high gear and keeps it moving. The soloists are all magnificent especially Cole and Pape. The Dies Irae and the Confutatis are more powerful here than we have ever heard them before. The chorus is very fine and sings with power and a lovely round sound. The Lacrymosa and Domine Jesu are incredibly beautiful.

The third version is Claudio Abbado and Berliner Philarmoniker performance in Salzburg Dom
in memoriam of Herbert von Karajan.
Abbado leads a superb performance of the Mozart Requiem, and among the soloists especially Bryn Terfel shines. Abbado solemn and technically excellent performance gives a very sensitive, yet dynamic, forceful and very memorable interpretation.
If we are into comparative listening, this is a version we should not miss.

More about Mozart’s Requiem here

Track Listings

CD 1 Mozart - Requiem / McLaughlin, Ewing, Hadley, Hauptmann, Chor und Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Leonard Bernstein


CD 2 Mozart - Requiem / Augér, Bartoli, Cole, Pape, Wiener Philarmoniker, Georg Solti

1. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Introitus Arleen Augér 5:25
2. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Kyrie Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 2:27
3. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Dies Irae Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 2:00
4. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Tuba mirum Arleen Augér 3:03
5. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Rex tremendae Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 1:58
6. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Recordare Arleen Augér 5:01 $0.89
7. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Confutatis Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 2:22
8. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Lacrimosa Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 3:14
9. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Offertorium: Domine Jesu Arleen Augér 3:52
10. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Offertorium: Hostias Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 3:34
11. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Offertorium: Prayer over the gifts Arleen Augér 0:51
12. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Offertorium: Preface Arleen Augér 1:01
13. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Sanctus Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 1:29
14. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Benedictus Arleen Augér 4:30
15. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Benedictus: Canon Arleen Augér 4:37
16. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Benedictus: Pater noster - Ecce Agnus Arleen Augér 2:52
17. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Agnus Dei Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor 2:41
18. Requiem in D minor, K.626 - Communio Arleen Augér 6:15


CD 3 Mozart - Requiem / Harnish, Mattila, Mingardo, Schade, Terfel, Swedish Radio Choir, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado


Product Details

CD 1 Performer: Marie McLaughlin (Soprano I), Maria Ewing (Soprano II), Jerry Hadley (Tenor), Cornelius Hauptmann (Bass)
Orchestra: Chor und Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Special Edition
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
ASIN: B000N22OLI

CD 2 Performer: Cecilia Bartoli, Arleen Auger, Vinson Cole, Rene Pape, Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsoperchor
Orchestra: Wiener Philharmoniker
Conductor: Georg Solti
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Audio CD (March 10, 1992)
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Decca
ASIN: B0000041ZS

CD 3 W. A. MOZART
Requiem
Karita Mattila • Sara Mingardo
Michael Schade • Bryn Terfel
Schwedischer Rundfunkchor
Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado
CD |D|D|D| 463 1812 |G|H|
Int. Release 16 Aug. 1999
1 CD




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