Search - Antonin Dvorak, Zdenek Macal, Wendy Hoffman :: Dvorak: Requiem/Symphony 9

Absolutely the best!!!!

EE Richards | 08/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am not joking whn I say that this very well could be the best requiem out there!!! I am not a giant fan of Dvorak, but this is absolutely stellar! Favorite mvmts: Tuba Mirum (the modulation to Eb major at the end was nothing short of incredible) and the Offertorium. Uses of phrase is wonderful, and excellent example of the proper use of leitmotiv. A must-have for any choral music lover!!!"

Dramatic Requiem, Good New World

P. SIMPSON | North Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 05/24/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Two fine performances splendidly recorded. The Requiem is big and romantic, sung and played with conviction, if without just that last ounce of vocal depth that would make it a great performance. The 9th is a very good performance, lacking just that special spring in the step that marks the still-classic Kertesz. No hesitations with the sound, which is 5 star. A very worthwhile set at a very good price."

Divine Dvorak

Brett A. Kniess | Madison, WI | 11/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If Dvorak's setting of the Stabat Mater was greatly overshadowed by his famous orchestral works, his Requiem mass was overshadowed by his entire opus. After receiving great accolades, especially in England, for his Stabat Mater (also released on Delos under Macal), audiences wanted more, thus the Dvorak Requiem is born. While echoes of previous Requiem settings (Berlioz, Cherubini, and Verdi) exist, especially Verdi, the work is Dvorak's own. Set in two parts with an optional intermission, Part One encapsulates the Requiem Aeternam through the entire Dies Irae sequence and Part Two covers the Offertory through the Agnus Dei, all totaling just over 90 minutes.



The music is engaging. Of particular note is the short chromatic motif announced in unison at the very beginning, a melody that evokes a little fear as well as a feel of chant-like simplicity, and is used constantly throughout the work, giving the entirety the unity that other Requiem settings lack. The orchestration is imaginative (a nod to the bass clarinet) with occasional odd timbres, bringing images involved with the text. The harmonies are at times old-fashioned and other times totally unexpected and forward-looking. As opposed to Verdi, Dvorak judiciously uses fugal/imitative sections (perhaps 3 times total) for dramatic effect. Part 1 is commenting on departed souls, more somber and fearful, while Part 2 is prayerful and hopeful with an exciting fugue ending the Offertory and Hostias.



The vocal parts are performed here by the Westminster Choir College, always a first-rate performance. The parts are not especially difficult, but they make the most of the music with crisp diction, wide dynamic interpretations, and sensitivity. They also have opted for Germanic Latin pronunciations. The soloists are also very fine. The famous tenor John Aler is great, and the lesser known soloists are excellent (the soprano sometimes a bit wild).



The music of the Requiem is exciting and fresh, and certainly worthy of a look. As a bonus, is 40 more minutes of music with the famous Symphony No. 9 "New World". Zdenek Macal, a native born Czech, is at home here, not giving a "folky" sound, but a purely classical one. Along with the Virtual Reality sonics, textures and inner parts that have gone unnoticed before, come out, giving a freshly unique performance, one which suprisingly rivals many classic recordings. The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under Macal, while not a top world-class orchestra, plays amazingly well in both works. Macal asks for fire, sumptuousness, romance, etc., the orchestra responds. Highly recommended just for the Requiem, with the added bonus of an astounding Symphony No. 9, a must have. Try something different with this recording!"