Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore / Coronation Mass - recommended recordings

[Guest]

It's that time of the week again when I try to plug a gap in my burgeoning library with a work I've just discovered.

Last night, I was watching a repeat of the evergreen 'Inspector Morse' in which 'Laudate Dominum' featured heavily. The reason I added the Coronation Mass is because they are so frequently paired on discs and I don't own that either, so I'd welcome suggestions for both.

I saw that BaL haven't covered this yet. So far, my research on Spotify has brought up a rather modern HIP disc with Martin Pearlman at the helm. I also saw that BaL haven't covered this yet. Koopman has an old disc covering both, though it's not on Spotify/YouTube, so I haven't sampled that.

I'm probably more inclined towards something HIP-ish and well-recorded though if there's a recording out there as extraordinary as Ferenc Fricsay's 'Grosse Messe' with Stader's mellifluous pipes blasting away, I could be tempted by that

I look forward to reading your suggestions.

[Simon]

I've several vesrsions of Laudate Dom, and no favourite in particular. I have to say that I'm not a fan of wobbly sopranos for this kind of work - the long top G at the end sounds horrific with vibrato! - so if I were buying a full CD I'd be careful on that score. I suggest you try youtube - there must be several versions on there and one may take your fancy.

As for K317, see if the Bayerische Rundfunk vesrion is available, with DFD as baritone and Edda Moser as Sop., under Jochum. That's a good 'un IMO!

Hope that helps.

bws S-S!

[Barbirollians]

Emma Kirkby is superb in Laudate Dominum.

[Thropplenoggin]

Thanks, Simon and Barbirollians. I'll keep my eyes peeled for both of those.

[teamsaint]

Emma Kirkby is superb in Laudate Dominum.

sounds great. I once posted something about her, and somebody replied that they couldn't stand her voice. !

[moeranbiogman]

The recent Delphian Tewkesbury Schola Cantorum/Ben Nicholas makes for pleasant listening. Laurence Kilsby is the treble soloist.

http://www.delphianrecords.co.uk/webshop/Delphian%2BOnline%2BShop61.html#

[mikealdren]

Avoid Kiri with Colin Davis in the Vespers, not her finest hour. There used to be a coupling of the two works with Wilma Lipp and Horenstein, I have it on LP but I think it did make it to CD.

Mike

[verismissimo]

... see if the Bayerische Rundfunk version is available, with DFD as baritone and Edda Moser as Sop., under Jochum. That's a good 'un IMO!

Too thick and soupy in the choral movements for my taste!

[Thropplenoggin]

Too thick and soupy in the choral movements for my taste!

So who would you recommend?

[verismissimo]

So who would you recommend?

I only know the Jochum.

Wouldn't hesitate to go for the AAM/Hogwood with Kirkby: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Coron...0563764&sr=1-1 (though I've not heard it!)

[Simon]

As it doesn't look as if we are helping all that much, I expect the best thing you could do in this regard would be to PM Bryn and ask him.

It's unlikely he won't have a good recommendation and despite the fact that he and I disagree on many (most!) things, his recommendations are IME based on sound knowledge - and if he doesn't know he'll say so.

[John Shelton]

I have Harnoncourt's recording in a box of his recordings of Mozart sacred music, which doesn't seem to be in print (the box). But this single CD http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Misa-...0569582&sr=1-4 is. It depends how you react to Harnoncourt's highly rhetorical, rococo approach. The last time I played the CDs I enjoyed them.

If you Google for harnoncourt coronation mass gramophone review there's Stanley Sadie's unconvinced review, but I think that was his standard response to Harnoncourt recordings. http://www.classical.net/music/recs/...tld692597a.php is enthusiastic, for whatever that's worth .

[Barbirollians]

Another vote for the Hogwood . It is the version I have and I love it .

[MickyD]

I agree, the Hogwood is very fine, with that glorious L'Oiseau Lyre recorded sound that was so much the mark of the late Peter Wadland.