Search - Giuseppe Verdi, Georg Solti, Janet Baker :: Verdi: Requiem

My favourite Requiem

Emma de Soleil | On a holiday In Ibiza, then back to the UK for stu | 11/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am not a fan of requiems or masses but there are some in my collection that I love to listen to, one of them being the haunting, vibrant Verdi Requiem. This version is, in my opinion, the most refined and noble one ever recorded. Leontyne Price, though not in her youthful prime as it was recorded in 1977 gives a beautiful performance. Her voice, smoky and velvety, sonds almost angelic here and she does add the pathos that is so essential for the haunting "Libera me"! One of my favourite recordings featuring Leontyne Price. In addition her Tosca, both Verdi-Leonoras and Butterfly are most essential. Baker takes the crown here even though she never was much of a Verdi-mezzo, but neither was Horne and she was fabulous in this work as well. Her contralto voice has so much dignity and nobility, only Kathleen Ferrier surpassed her in this aspect. Luchetti does a fine job with the difficult music written for the tenor even though young Carreras (Who sang it at the time in Salzburg) or Pavarotti are the better choices. Van Dam can be heard on several recordings of this work but never ever have I heard him in such glorious shape. A masterful recording by the wonderful Solti, whom I love in anything Verdi. His conducting of Don Carlo and La Traviata revealed hidden treasures! A+++++++++++++"

A wonderful classic

philistine | San Diego, California USA | 07/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1977 version with Price, Baker, Luchetti, and van Dam is superb. Each member of the quartet shines, the chorus is powerful and beautiful, and the orchestra is flawless. Solti and Hillis take the CSO and CSC to new levels of performance here. Definitely worth owning. Leontyne's voice is simply unparalleled. Truly exquisite."