Search - Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, René Jacobs, Sebastian Hennig :: Pergolesi - Stabat Mater / Hennig · Jacobs · Concerto Vocale · Jacobs

Superb performance - excellent voices

cdekter | Mt Evelyn, Victoria Australia | 04/12/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This performance claims to be "legendary", and while I'm not so sure about that part, I was nevertheless extremely impressed with the performance. The orchestral accompaniment is close and intimate, consisting of only 2 violins, a cello, a double bass and a chamber organ. Sebastian Hennig's treble voice is simply sublime and his skill and control excellent, while Rene Jacobs has a very strong counter-tenor voice well suited to this piece. The only criticism was that on some tracks the vocals were too loud compared to the orchestral parts, although this is highly subjective and depends on your speakers as well. Highly recommended."

Precise and marvelous

Mr. Arthur Muller | Paris, France | 08/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am neither a connoisseur of baroque music nor an expert in music in general, but I base my review on an comparison between this versions and others ; take for instance Harnoncourt's (Teldec, Das alte Werk, 1994).

In one word : both interpretations are coherent. Harnoncourt : rich women voices with a lot of vibrato and contrast, the soprano often at full power ; loud orchestra. Jacobs : cristalline and precise male voices, especially the boy Henning's (more at ease in the heights than woman sopranos are), few effects, orchestra in the background, microphone close to the singers. The tempi are quicker, whereas Harnoncourt uses slower ones to make place for variations in intensity and manner.

I don't know which one is truer to the score or to its spirit, but it seems to me that Jacobs' leads as regards both musical quality and emotion conveyed."

Absolute reference both for the performance as within classi

passion | Belgium | 11/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Listening to this music, and especially this version, brings me back to the very essence of music with a minimal instrumentation which is very well balanced with excellent voices.

Once you have heard this boy soprano you risk never ever want to hear a female soprano (for this work at least) again. Cristalline purity, extreme height and extreme stability, so without the female vibrato at the top end and going higher than a woman altogether. One prerequisite though, your audio equipment needs to be of the best of standards to be able to fully reproduce the boy soprano!

Excellent conducting and singing by Jacobs as well who turns out a very good counterbalance for Hennig.

A pitty the performance was edited on the cheaper line of Harmonia Mundi. I guess because the quality of recording has some flaws which are quickly forgotten once you are absorbed by the music. Am looking forward for a re-editing of this recording to nowadays standards.

I have two more CD's of this performance in reserve just in case my one reference CD gets broken at a certain moment in time... think this says it all."