Messa de Requiem
Giuseppe Verdi
II. Dies irae 9:12
III. Tuba Mirum 11:26
IV. Liber scriptus 15:25
V. Quid sum miser 20:49
VI. Rex Tremendae 24:45
VII. Recordare 28:39
VIII. Ingemisco 32:54
IX. Confutatis 37:08
X. Lacrymosa 43:34
XI. Domine Jesu 49:59
XII. Sanctus 1:01:24
XIII. Agnus Dei 1:04:18
XIV. Lux Aeterna 1:09:31
XV. Libera me / Requiem aeternam 1:16:14
Wiener Singverein, Wiener Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan
Recorded live at Salzburg Festival, 14 August, 1949
I attended the BSO's presentation of this last January. One of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteWritten by Verdi for the much admired writer, Alessandro Manzoni, author of the Italian, and world, classic "I Promossi Sposi." If I remember correctly, that was the novel that unified the Italian language.
I have the "Ingemisco" sung by the incomparable Placido Domingo on my iPhone.
Also, I remember sitting in Symphony Hall and almost jumping out of my seat when the Dies Irae was played. Startling.
Thanks for posting this.
As a side note, I was visiting Sicily and my cousins at this time a while ago. On "Ognissanti," at least in Sicily, the children put their shoes outside their doors and a good witch fills them with candy or other treats. I remember visiting the cimiterio along with the others in the village to pay our respects to the dead.
I am so glad, Ms Shaw, that at least one person appreciates this post.
ReplyDeleteThis is some of Verdi's finest music. I enjoy it very much, but have to note it has been criticized as being too "operatic" and "theatrical" for a work purporting to be devotional.
Perhaps so, perhaps not. It's so wonderfully written it makes a perfect case for itself, and stands solidly on its own merits. Critics be damned.
I was fortunate to have been brought up in a church where it was possible for us to perform works of this caliber, albeit not on the level of his recording. It was just an ordinary parish church in the suburbs, but our music program was exceptionally strong thanks to the idealistic vision and dedicated efforts of our remarkable Music Director.
Several important singers from the MET were on very friendly terms with our music director, who was also my piano teacher at the time. They were always happy to sing the solos whenever we performed great choral music.
Fortunately, since we lived in the New York metropolitan area, there were always fine organists available to play the accompaniments for us. Once in a while members of the New York Philharmonic, who lived in our suburban community would contribute their talents as well. Walter Rosenberger, the tympanist from the NY Philharmonic, was especially generous in that way.
Our music director, a Juilliard graduate who enjoyed only a humble career in music and never achieved fame, was so well liked and admired by his colleagues that these guys usually contributed to our performances free of charge.
Those were wonderful days.