Search - Giuseppe Verdi, Claudio Abbado, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :: Giuseppe Verdi: Messa De Requiem/Quattro Pezzi Sacri

Very satisfying performance

pyramidcvv | Western US | 03/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Overall, I found this November 1991 Vienna recording of the Verdi Requiem very enjoyable.



Jose Carreras sounds quite good four years after his leukemia diagnosis; only an occasional wobble here and there.



I'm a longtime fan of Ruggero Raimondi: there's a certain "buzzy" resonance in his voice that I find very appealing. His vowels tend to get sloppy ("ih" instead of "ee," "oh" instead of "oo"), and he sometimes takes liberties with the written rhythms. But generally, it's all in good taste.



Cheryl Studer's work is generally free of any excess theatrics and swooping, although it seemed some of her entrances were a bit flat. Marjana Lipovsek has a lovely sound.



The Vienna State Opera Chorus is marvelous throughout; I thought the soprano choristers especially shone in the Libera Me fugue in the end. The Vienna Philharmonic was wonderful; I'm really picky about the bass drum in the Dies Irae, and was not disappointed.



The liner notes include a long essay by Carolyn Abbate who describes Verdi's Requiem as "schizophrenic," and refers to the "operatic conceit" of offstage music.



The Requiem is coupled with Quattro Pezzi Sacri (with Studer). Texts and translations (with tempo marks) included."