Christine Brewer Karen Cargill Stuart Neill - Verdi Requiem +Album Reviews

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	Christine Brewer, Karen Cargill, Stuart Neill Verdi: Requiem Genre: Classical Aside from his operas, Verdi is best known for his extraordinary Requiem, written in memory of the Italian writer and nationalist Alessandro Manzoni. The dramatic power of the famous Dies irae and the sublime lyricism of t... more » « less
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CD Details

All Artists: Christine Brewer, Karen Cargill, Stuart Neill, John Relyea, London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Colin Davis
Title: Verdi: Requiem
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Lso Live
Original Release Date: 1/1/2009
Re-Release Date: 9/8/2009
Album Type: Hybrid SACD - DSD, Import
Genre: Classical
Styles: Opera & Classical Vocal, Symphonies
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 822231168324

Synopsis

Album Description

Aside from his operas, Verdi is best known for his extraordinary Requiem, written in memory of the Italian writer and nationalist Alessandro Manzoni. The dramatic power of the famous Dies irae and the sublime lyricism of the work's solo passages have led many to describe it as more of an opera than a formal Requiem Mass.

CD Reviews

A veddy British Verdi Requiem, long on reflection, short on

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 09/23/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The pile of great Verdi Requiems on records is knee high, so I didn't expect the octogenarian Colin Davis to enter the top ranks. But I'm afraid he doesn't even make it to the middle. His new live version from the Barbican in London is painfully British -- careful, respectful, and half-powered. Clearly he hasn't heard the cliche that the Requiem is actually a great Verdi opera. This is the least operatic version I've ever heard, and the total absence of Italian players and singers is quite telling. The vocal soloists, who are as important as they would be in Aida or Il Trovatore, sing well enough under live conditions, but even if everything were note perfect, there's only a dash of Italian passion.

Bass John Relyea at least makes a brave stab at sounding like Ezio Pinza or Cesare Siepi. The best known of the quartet, chrsitine Brewer, simply isn't a Verdi soprano. Her 'Libra me' is neither a grand diva or desperate supplicant before God. The chorus sings well, but Davis has them use an exaggerated stage whisper in soft passages, as in the 'Libera me' - the effect is corny and melodramatic. Davis himself doesn't seem fired up by the music, which can be driven to almost hysterical extremes and still succeed. His age doesn't cause him to dawdle -- the Dies illa is strong and fervent -- but most of the movements lack emotional involvement.

Almost simultaneously with this release EMI is bringing out its own Verdi Requiem with Antonio Pappano and his Santa Cecilia orchestra and chorus in Rome. Let's see if they win on the home field."