BaL 3.11.18 - Stravinsky: Mass

[ardcarp]

Splendid BAL. Notwithstanding the 'blind testings' I guess JS probably had a so-called 'liturgical choir' in his mind, and surely WCC ticks all the boxes. But I was very heartened that CCO got a mention, especially as an old friend and singing partner, Andrew Giles, was described as 'the best alto ever' in the Gloria. Glad too that JS included versions by Stravinsky and Craft as important runners-up. Hardly fair in a way for them to compete using the dry recording technique of the 60s with WCC's vast ambience. I was left wanting to hear more of the Rias Kammerchor version whose coolness and smoothness I rather liked. Another one for the Xmas stocking, please.

[HighlandDougie]

One of the advantages of the "digital age" is the ability to listen to BaL in all its live splendour in the (almost) evening, while sipping a glass of wine enjoying the wonderful view from the 37th floor, and without feeling guilty about the double joys of Jeremy Summerly and not yet being wholly alcoholic - a fine Oregon Chardonnay being enjoyed in Hong Kong. Both educative and enjoyable, as evidenced by Ardcarp's "splendid": it was. From recent listening to Cambreling/Craft/Reuss /Stravinsky (inspired by Pulcinella's "immersive" approach), as well as Lenny, JS confirmed my doubts about the Bernstein recording, despite its initial attractions. Having been wholly convinced by Stravinsky's point (and by the illustrations in the programme) that this was music meant to be performed in a liturgical context, the recommended recording duly downloaded from Hyperion. What a great work!

[CallMePaul]

The Westminster Cathedral recording is "currently unavailable" on Amazon and not listed on Presto. I liked the recording but reviewers need to do their homework before recommending a version. I also liked the St Mary's Cathedral version which is available.

[MickyD]

The Westminster Cathedral recording is "currently unavailable on Amazon and not listed on Presto. I liked the recording but reviewers need to do their homework before recommending a version. I also liked the St Mary's Cathedral version which is available.

You can always order a CD Copy from Hyperion's archive website:

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA66437

[Pulcinella]

Information as given on the R3 Schedules page (with additional comments).
There's no mention of availability, or alternative issue numbers: both Stravinsky recordings are in the big box.


9.30am – Building a Library – Jeremy Summerly on Stravinsky’s Mass

Composer: Igor Stravinsky [that's a relief]
Reviewer: Jeremy Summerly

Recommended Recording:

Westminster Cathedral Choir
City of London Sinfonia
James O’Donnell (conductor)
Hyperion CDA66437


Other Recommended Recordings:

Historical:
New York Church of the Blessed Sacrament Choir
Igor Stravinsky (conductor)
Andante AND1140 (1949)

Gregg Smith Singers
Columbia Symphony Winds & Brass
Igor Stravinsky (conductor)
Sony Classical SM2K 46 301

Gregg Smith Singers
Orchestra of St Luke’s
Robert Craft (conductor)
Naxos 8.557 [actually 8.557504]

Choral & instrumental virtuosity:

Netherlands Chamber Choir
Schonberg Ensemble
Reinbert de Leeuw (conductor)
Philips 454 477-2

RIAS Kammerchor
Musikfabrik (ensemble)
Daniel Reuss (conductor)
Harmonia Mundi HMC 801913

Liturgical:

Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
London Sinfonietta
Simon Preston (conductor)
Decca 430 346-2

Choir of St Mary’s Edinburgh
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Duncan Ferguson (conductor)
Delphian DCD 34164

(No mention of Herreweghe, ferney.)

[Pulcinella]

Splendid BAL. Notwithstanding the 'blind testings' I guess JS probably had a so-called 'liturgical choir' in his mind, and surely WCC ticks all the boxes. But I was very heartened that CCO got a mention, especially as an old friend and singing partner, Andrew Giles, was described as 'the best alto ever' in the Gloria. Glad too that JS included versions by Stravinsky and Craft as important runners-up. Hardly fair in a way for them to compete using the dry recording technique of the 60s with WCC's vast ambience. I was left wanting to hear more of the Rias Kammerchor version whose coolness and smoothness I rather liked. Another one for the Xmas stocking, please.

The Craft recording discussed was recorded in 1995 (originally MusicMasters, now Naxos). I don't think Craft's 1966 Sony recording (on CD46 in the big box) got mentioned.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

(No mention of Herreweghe, ferney.)

Dang! When I heard "Harmonia Mundi" I leapt to a wrong assumption! (So no "lost in the editing", either )

The upside of this is that the RIAS recording (I don't remember JS mentioning musikFabrik in his comments) is the one that I posted on the "YouTube With Scores" Thread. It struck me there as a very fine performance indeed - and probably the only one I heard today (of the recordings I don't already have) that I want to buy.

[Pulcinella]

Just found the Colin Davis Cantata/Mass coupling on Deezer, so downloaded into 'My Sonos' for listening to later.
:happyfaceemoticon:

[Richard Barrett]

Gosh, I missed all this while flying around here and there, one of my favourite Stravinsky works. It's the Bernstein recording for me, no shadow of a doubt.

[Pulcinella]

Gosh, I missed all this while flying around here and there, one of my favourite Stravinsky works. It's the Bernstein recording for me, no shadow of a doubt.

Do try to listen, Richard.
He had some pertinent things to say about the Bernstein recording, which made me reassess it somewhat.
I still like it, but I prefer the treble-voice versions (Preston or O'Donnell).

[Richard Barrett]

OK I'll give it a listen later if I have a chance. I don't quite understand your comment about treble-voice versions though - Bernstein has trebles too. (And of course a marvellous version of Les Noces on the B-side!)

[Pulcinella]

OK I'll give it a listen later if I have a chance. I don't quite understand your comment about treble-voice versions though - Bernstein has trebles too. (And of course a marvellous version of Les Noces on the B-side!)

Poor wording, Richard.
It was late last night.

I really meant the more 'liturgical' cathedral choir type versions.
I agree about Bernstein's Les noces.

[Richard Barrett]

I really meant the more 'liturgical' cathedral choir type versions.

Actually I don't think I've heard any of those! But I got to know the piece through the Bernstein version, and I always found it intensely moving, I remember writing a letter* to a former schoolfriend during my student days and saying something like listening to it was my last remaining link to belief, or some such youthful hyperbole. It still has a not completely dissimilar effect.

* a sort of primitive email, written by hand on one or more pieces of paper, folded and placed in an "envelope" and taken to a "post office", where it would receive a "stamp" and eventually conveyed physically to the dwelling place of the addressee.

[Stanfordian]

The recording of the Mass I most enjoy is from RIAS Kammerchor, Musikfabrik / Daniel Reuss on Harmonia Mundi.

[Pianoman]

* a sort of primitive email, written by hand on one or more pieces of paper, folded and placed in an "envelope" and taken to a "post office", where it would receive a "stamp" and eventually conveyed physically to the dwelling place of the addressee.

indeed - in fact the only work by Brett Dean that I gave any time to was his 'concerto' entitled 'The Lost Art of Letter Writing' - and that was mainly because of the title and inspiration behind it rather than the actual music...