Sir Georg Solti conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic) and the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor (Chorus of the Vienna State Opera). Recorded live in St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, on December 5, 1991. Recorded live in Vienna to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death. More on Sir Solti, his personal score, and this specific performance can be found at the Harvard University Library website:
The Mass was officiated by the Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna and was televised throughout Europe. “Through the two days of rehearsals, I had been troubled by the thought that Mozart had died only a short distance away and his funeral had been held in this very church. I felt that his spirit was there, somehow, and I feared that would unsettle me during the performance and I would start to cry.”I've written about my love for this piece earlier on the blog for another recording, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I'd pick up another recording of Mozart's Requiem, especially one conducted by Solti and inexplicably languishing in a used CD clearance bin.
The whole recording is a little heavy for my personal tastes, but that's a very minor quibble (and the subject matter is heavy, after all). The tone and tempi are spot on, but as I was digging the immaculate sounds and wonderful interpretation of the piece, the music stops and a foreign tongue speaks beginning about 30 minutes into the CD. Dahell? And then it hit me - they're doing an actual full Requiem Mass for Mozart, at the church where Mozart's funeral was held, on the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death, using Mozart's own music. I'm not even Catholic but I've got to admit that's pretty cool and drives home the actual liturgical purpose of the music and text. Powerful stuff.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Horowitz Plays Mozart (1987)
Serenade in B flat, KV 361 "Gran Partita" (1984)
Requiem, KV 626 (1983)
Mozart Overtures (1982)
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