The Internet's Premier Classical Music Source
Related Links
- Mozart Reviews
- Latest Reviews
- More Reviews
-
By Composer
-
Collections
DVD & Blu-ray
Books
Concert Reviews
Articles/Interviews
Software
Audio
Search Amazon
Recommended Links
Site News
Site Search
Follow us on
Affiliates
Blu-ray Review
Wolfgang Mozart
Requiem in D minor, K. 626
- Anna Prohaska, soprano
- Sara Mingardo, alto
- Maximilian Schmitt, tenor
- Rene Pape, bass
Bavarian Radio Chorus
Swedish Radio Chorus
Lucerne Festival Orchestra/Claudio Abbado
Recorded live at the Concert Hall of the Culture and Convention Center, Lucerne, August 8 & 10, 2012
(Edition by Franz Beyer based on the completion by Franx Xaver Süssmayr, with Robert Levin version of Sanctus.)
Accentus Music Blu-ray ACC10258 LPCM Stereo 52m
Also available on Accentus DVD ACC20258: Amazon - UK - Germany - Canada - France - Japan - ArkivMusic - CD Universe - JPC
To avoid any confusion regarding the edition of the Requiem used here, let me clarify what's listed in the heading above. The version Abbado employs is by musicologist Franz Beyer, who took the original completion of the work by Mozart student Franz Xaver Süssmayr (1766-1803) and revised its orchestration. Abbado, however, substitutes pianist/composer Robert Levin's version of the Sanctus for the Süssmayr/Beyer rendition. Mozart's widow Constanze had first entrusted Joseph von Eybler (1765-1846) with the daunting task of completing the Requiem, but he eventually abandoned the task. Süssmayr was then engaged to take on the project. The original Mozart manuscript showed only the Introit completed and orchestrated. The Kyrie, most of Sequentia: Dies Irae and all of the Offertory exist in detailed sketches. The remainder may have been fashioned by Süssmayr from "little scraps of paper" left by Mozart that are now lost, but Süssmayr confused the issue by later claiming that the Sanctus and Agnus Dei were actually his own creations. There's a little more history surrounding this work as Mozart mavens are aware, but suffice it to say that we will probably never know for sure where Mozart leaves off and Süssmayr steps in. The music may well be mostly Mozart (no pun intended), but a sizable amount could in fact be the work of Süssmayr.
At any rate, the performance here is excellent. The vocal soloists are standouts: Anna Prohaska sings with such commitment and angelic beauty, while Rene Pape is commanding in the richness and power of voice and his sense for drama – try his singing in the opening of Tuba mirum. Sara Mingardo is also splendid and young Maximilian Schmitt turns in a convincing performance as well and would seem to have the vocal resources for a major international career. Claudio Abbado leads the proceedings with his usual insight, favoring lively but never hasty tempos and drawing accurate, committed playing from the always excellent Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Abbado knows how to shape the score and always seems attuned to its many facets. Listen, for one example, to the Confutatis and notice how he whips up a fury and sense of dark urgency from the male chorus members and then contrasts it with lovely ethereal singing by the women.
The camera work, picture clarity and sound reproduction are first rate. While there are many excellent competing versions of the Requiem on CD and video, by Philippe Herreweghe, Bernstein, Gardiner and many others, this new one, especially in the video realm, will be hard to surpass.
Copyright © 2013, Robert Cummings
