Search - Gioachino Rossini, Riccardo Chailly, Daniela Dessi :: Rossini - Messe Solennelle / Dessì · Scalchi · Sabbatini · Pertusi · Chailly

Rossini Messe Solennelle Chailly

R. Featherstone | New Zealand | 04/27/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While I can't engage with the context of religious music, I'm grateful that Mozart, with his Mass in C minor K427 and Requiem K.626, and Rossini with his Messe Solennelle, obviously asked themselves "why should the Devil have all the best tunes?". If you like these Mozart works then Rossini's Messe and this recording of it are for you.



Rossini said at the time, "have I written sacred or damned music?". From the third bar of the opening Kyrie the strings indicate the latter. He continued, "I was born for opera buffa, you know it well!", so you know it's going to be fun. In fact, performers and listeners embark on a musical roller coaster that paradoxically, but sublimely, clothes the most solemn Latin liturgy in some of the most delightful tunes you will ever hear.



I first saw and heard Riccardo Chailly conducting this work on Sky TV's Arts Channel in New Zealand. While he was conducting a different orchestra, choirs and soloists, it was clear that any performance of this work under his direction would be a safe buy, which it was. Unfortunately the 84 minutes of listening pleasure has to involve 2 CDs, with the split in this case equal.



The earliest - 1864 - version of this work is Petite Messe Solennelle for singers, choir, 2 pianos and harmonium. In my view this is a significantly paler version of what is featured here. This richer-textured orchestral version of 1867 outclasses anything that any devil you might believe in could compose.

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