Search - Gioachino Rossini, Myung-Whun Chung, Wiener Philharmoniker :: Rossini - Stabat Mater / Orgonasova, Bartoli, Giménez, Scandiuzzi, Wiener Phil., Chung

Best recording of Rossini's work!

Yuri | 12/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rossini's Stabart Mater is a wonderfully tuneful work veering more towards opera than religious music,this superlative version under the excellent conducting and superb playing of Chung and the Wiener Philarmoniker has assembled a worthy quartet of singers,Gimenez a true Rossini tenor sings the "Cujus animan" with flowing ease,confident with the high D flat,Bartoli is in exuberant,rich voice particularly in the Cavatina,Orgonasova's top C's positively ring out in "Inflammatus et accensus" and Scandiuzzi has a rich,firm bass,the chorus (very important in this work) are in great form and the singers all magnificent soloists prove well capable of combining their voices beautifully especially in the quartet "Sancta mater". This version beats the rest!"

Stellar Stabat!

D. Seymour | Atlanta, GA USA | 07/21/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even though Rossini was not interested in producing a setting of the Stabat Mater (he wrote it solely at the insistence of a client who thankfully applied the needed pressure) and it was not fully completed for almost 10 years, this work has a remarkable sense of continuity, not to mention beauty. The opening 'Stabat mater dolorosa' is a terrific, tour de force for chorus and soloists. It perfectly captures the aching grief central to the Stabat Mater poem. After the dire opening chords of 'Cujus animam gementem', a lilting Rossini aria blossoms in which Raul Gimenez demonstrates his enviable bel canto tenor. He is without a doubt the highlight of the disk, shining again during the quartetto for soloists 'Sancta Mater'. The Soprano/Alto Duetto 'Quis est homo' undulates with gorgeous sonorities. The chorus makes a big comeback during the 'Inflammatus et accensus' with its Berliozesque explosions. The finale is ripe with melody and texture. All in all, a great choral experience and a great setting of the Stabat Mater. Chung's directing is tight and the sound quality is crisp. A must own choral disc."

WOW!

chris_ah1 | 10/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Usually I might write a review on this in more depth. However, on delivering this peice Rossini wrote: "Here it is then, this poor little Mass. Have I written truly sacred music, or just damn bad music? I was born for opera buffa, as you well know. Not much skill, but quite a bit of feeling - that's how I'd sum it up. Blessed be thy name, and grant me a place in Paradise". - and it shows. If you are in a slightly emotional mood as I was when I last listened to it, and are playing close attention to the music I swore a tear actually came to my eye. Rossini should get his place in Paradise for this piece that is truly sublime at its peak. It is certainly heavily operatic, and at times does verge away from the beautifully tragic to the buffa but only slightly as he manages on the whole to remain faithful to the intent of the Stabat Mater.



After listening to this, I did some more reasearch on the piece and apparently, Heine wrote on hearing this that the theatre had become "a vestibule of heaven". Definitely add this great quality recording to your collection and get your own piece of heaven. Cliched, but so true!"