Verdi: Requiem

( 1 )

Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Andrew Farach-Colton
Although some of our greatest singers and conductors have recorded Verdi's Requiem, only a handful of versions can be recommended. Happily, this live performance from January 2001 is among those precious few. Not everything is perfect, though: Daniela Barcellona's warm, lovely mezzo-soprano lacks the mettle needed to set one's hair on end in the "Liber scriptus," for example. And the sound quality, though rich and wonderfully wide-ranging, occasionally lacks the necessary sonic punch. But there is so much here to admire that such criticisms seem insignificant. Angela Gheorghiu is at her expressive best -- her dark, steely tone perfectly suited to the music. In ...
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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Andrew Farach-Colton
Although some of our greatest singers and conductors have recorded Verdi's Requiem, only a handful of versions can be recommended. Happily, this live performance from January 2001 is among those precious few. Not everything is perfect, though: Daniela Barcellona's warm, lovely mezzo-soprano lacks the mettle needed to set one's hair on end in the "Liber scriptus," for example. And the sound quality, though rich and wonderfully wide-ranging, occasionally lacks the necessary sonic punch. But there is so much here to admire that such criticisms seem insignificant. Angela Gheorghiu is at her expressive best -- her dark, steely tone perfectly suited to the music. In Roberto Alagna we have a tenor who can sing beautifully, even in the most strenuous passages. He generally avoids the un-Verdian, verismo-style sobs most tenors indulge in, although he sometimes comes close in his intensely felt, unusually articulate singing of the "Ingemisco." Julian Konstantinov's sonorous bass provides a solid foundation for the solo quartet. Other singers have made the "Mors stupebit" more terrifying, but Konstaninov's is still a commanding presence. Special mention must be made of the choral singing, for the Swedish Radio Chorus and Eric Ericson Chamber Choir are superb throughout: Their tonal blend and unanimity of expression are simply awesome. Conductor Claudio Abbado captures the score's devotional spirit as well as its dramatic power -- and, of course, the Berlin Philharmonic's burnished sound seems tailor-made for this piece. If the glitzy, brash quality of the recent Gergiev recording with Fleming, Borodina, and Bocelli, on Philips turned you off, this probing, profound interpretation will probably be more to your liking. Strongly recommended.
Gramophone - Alan Blyth
EMI was quite right to be on hand to record this performance in Berlin at a time when Abbado had arisen from his sick­bed to show just how much this work meant to him in the circumstances. It is conveyed in spades through the tremendous concentration and emotional thrust felt throughout this shattering interpretation.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 11/20/2001
  • Label: Emi Classics
  • UPC: 724355716828
  • Catalog Number: 57168
  • Sales rank: 33,015

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1–21 Requiem Mass, for soloists, chorus & orchestra (Manzoni Requiem) - Giuseppe Verdi & Claudio Abbado (83:41)
    Composed byGiuseppe Verdi
    Conducted byClaudio Abbado
    Performed byClaudio Abbado, Roberto Alagna, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Angela Gheorghiu, Orféon Donostiarra, Jose Antonio Sainz, Swedish Radio Choir, Bo Wannerfors, Daniela Barcellona
    1. 1Requiem aeternam
    2. 2Kyrie eleison
    3. 3Dies irae
    4. 4Tuba mirum
    5. 5Mors stupebit
    6. 6Liber scriptus - Dies irae
    7. 7Quid sum miser
    8. 8Rex tremendae
    9. 9Recordare
    10. 10Ingemisco
    11. 11Confutatis - Dies irae
    12. 12Lacrymosa
    13. 13Domine Jesu Christe
    14. 14Hostias
    15. 15Sanctus
    16. 16Agnus Dei
    17. 17Lux aeterna
    18. 18Libera me, Domine
    19. 19Dies irae
    20. 20Requiem aeternam
    21. 21Libera me, Domine
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Claudio Abbado Primary Artist
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Customer Reviews

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Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The best recording of Verdi's masterpiece!

    I love sacred music, and Verdi's Requiem is no exception! The chorus displays amazing versatility: soft, whisper-like characteristics in gentle sections (unlike most recordings, which sound too shrill) and also the bold sense of terror at the "Dies Irae". Kudos to the soloists, too! This virtuoso quartet blends beautifully without overdoing it. The Berlin Philharmonic brings even more to love about this piece! If you could have one recording of this Requiem, buy this one! Bravo!

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Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Reviews