Tír Na HiFi

A composer whose Sacred Music that I do confess to having a problem with is Poulenc, although the Quatre Motets pour un temps de Pénitence is not too bad a listen....





His sound world and musical language have always posed some difficulty for me.

fergus wrote:Two versions of the same work....








Both are quite "light" in texture and both are well played and sung and reverential in tone but the Gardiner version has more "weight" to it.

Interestingly for some curious reason, while listening to the Jacobs version, I was put in mind of the music of Monteverdi, a particular analogy that I had not drawn before.

I've been very impressed with Ton Koopman's recent version of this masterpiece on Challenge. It's received mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it. My favourite remains Konrad Junghanel on HM but I'll certainly be returning to the Koopman version.

fergus wrote:Various composers have written a version of the Stabat Mater over the years. Pergolesi, Palestrina, Vivaldi among others come to mind immediately. However, tonight I went for a more modern interpretation....






The Sawallisch is a very good version which is beautifully sung and very well played and is infused with drama and emotion.

Neeme Jarvi's recent version with the London Philharmonic on the LPO label is very fine indeed but I'm looking forward to Phillippe Herreweghe's version on his Phi label which will be released later this month. Everything I've heard on this label - the Bach Leipzip Cantatas, Brahms's choral works with orchestra and, especially, an extraordinary Missa Solemnis - has been exceptional. Whatever were Harmonia Mundi thinking when they severed their ties with him?

fergus wrote:A composer whose Sacred Music that I do confess to having a problem with is Poulenc, although the Quatre Motets pour un temps de Pénitence is not too bad a listen....





His sound world and musical language have always posed some difficulty for me.

Look out for James O'Donnell's version of the Mass in G and Stepen Layton's version of the Gloria, Fergus. Utterly beautiful music. Both are available on Hyperion. James O'Donnell's exceptional version of Frank Martin's superb Mass for Double Choir is also highly recommended.

mcq wrote:
I've been very impressed with Ton Koopman's recent version of this masterpiece on Challenge. It's received mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it. My favourite remains Konrad Junghanel on HM but I'll certainly be returning to the Koopman version.

Two interesting recommendations there Paul. I have both names in my collection both as performers and as directors and in this case I may just check out the Junghanel.

mcq wrote:

Let me know what you think of that version when you eventually get to hear it Paul; I would be most interested in your thoughts on it.

mcq wrote: Look out for James O'Donnell's version of the Mass in G and Stepen Layton's version of the Gloria, Fergus. Utterly beautiful music. Both are available on Hyperion. James O'Donnell's exceptional version of Frank Martin's superb Mass for Double Choir is also highly recommended.

I have O'Donnell conducting music by another favourite of mine, Palestrina, and I quite liked it so perhaps he can help me out in this sound world!

Even though most recordings of Dvorak´s Stabat Mater are excellent, my favourite is the one who disappeared as soon as it reached the stores, the Harnoncourt, with the magnificent chorus and orchestra of the Bavarian Radio. It seems that there was a contract disagreement with the bass Franz Hawlata, and it had to be recalled, so actually very few people got it on time, and it´s a pity, because Harnoncourt is such a sympathetic Dvorak conductor that he does wonders with the score, and the cherry on the cake, is surely, Luba Orgonasova once more. This is also the only live recording of the Stabat Mater...if I´m not mistaken...

fergus wrote:

mcq wrote:
I've been very impressed with Ton Koopman's recent version of this masterpiece on Challenge. It's received mixed reviews but I really enjoyed it. My favourite remains Konrad Junghanel on HM but I'll certainly be returning to the Koopman version.

Two interesting recommendations there Paul. I have both names in my collection both as performers and as directors and in this case I may just check out the Junghanel.

a favourite piece of music for me too, Fergus... I have the Gardiner version, but actually I think this just about shades it:

Jose Echenique wrote:

Even though most recordings of Dvorak´s Stabat Mater are excellent, my favourite is the one who disappeared as soon as it reached the stores, the Harnoncourt, with the magnificent chorus and orchestra of the Bavarian Radio. It seems that there was a contract disagreement with the bass Franz Hawlata, and it had to be recalled, so actually very few people got it on time, and it´s a pity, because Harnoncourt is such a sympathetic Dvorak conductor that he does wonders with the score, and the cherry on the cake, is surely, Luba Orgonasova once more. This is also the only live recording of the Stabat Mater...if I´m not mistaken...

that's an interesting read Pepe. I must confess, I've somehow never really warmed to Dvorak's SM, which is very surprising, because I love both his Requiem and his Mass in D, very much. Must try harder and give it another listen sometime soon. I only own the one version: