Sunday Morning Opera/ Choral Choice: Colin Davis' Final Berlioz Requiem

I didn't keep this one around for very long. [EDIT: perhaps I should say that the LSO Live recording captures too much of the echo in St. Paul's for my taste.]

Unfortunately, I'm pretty wedded to the past wrt the Berlioz Requiem, with the Munch and Davis/Pentatone (Philips) sets being my standbys. I wish there were a more modern recording I could get behind, but all the newer multi-channel versions are compromised for me in one way or another. (I don't like the Spano/Atlanta recording on Telarc either - I thought that Telarc's earlier Shaw recording was much better, but the Shaw recording is not hi-rez and it's not multi-channel.) The same situation applies to the Levine/BPO version on DG (with Pavarotti!): I liked the performance, but I want my modern sonic amenities too! ;-)

So you're saying the reverberation works against the music?, posted on October 5, 2016 at 19:02:48
jdaniel@jps.net	I was intrigued considering Berlioz wrote the piece with such an acoutic in mind. I didn't care for either Munch or Davis 1 because of the weak choirs.

Yes - Berlioz wanted a big space. . . , posted on October 5, 2016 at 19:44:15

Chris from Lafayette
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. . . but that LSO Live recording was overdone for my taste (i.e., the ratio of direct to reflected sound wasn't ideal). I still get a good sense of the reverberation on the earlier Davis and Munch recordings - although in neither of these cases is it big cathedral reverberation.

Oops! I just looked and I still DO have the Davis LSO Live SACD. (I could have sworn I jettisoned it!) Maybe I'll give it another listen tomorrow! ;-)

No worries, as long as the Lacrimosa isn't smeared. Dedicate it to the Mets tonight. : ) nt, posted on October 5, 2016 at 22:08:20
jdaniel@jps.net	.

de Billy on Oehms, posted on October 6, 2016 at 07:26:41

Kas
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Have you tried this one? Excellent performance and sound (superb tenor solo, too):

https://www.amazon.com/Berlioz-H-Grande-Cleopatre-Carnaval/d

I have not heard that recording, posted on October 6, 2016 at 08:19:47
Chris from Lafayette Audiophile Posts: 26483 Location: SF Bay Area Joined: February 17, 2004 Contributor Since: February 6, 2012	I had a couple of DVD's conducted by de Billy and wasn't that impressed, but it sounds from your post as if I should give him another chance! ;-)

Same here, thanks for recommendation. nt, posted on October 6, 2016 at 08:42:30
jdaniel@jps.net	k

RE: So you're saying the reverberation works against the music?, posted on October 6, 2016 at 15:24:57

vahe
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I didn't care for either Munch or Davis 1 because of the weak choirs. "

For the finest in choral performance may I recommend the most obscure recording of Requiem, this one is on Naxos, Elora Festival Orchestra, Noel Edison conductor, the choir is Toronto Mendelssohn Choir & Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir. The recording is fairly distant with tons of reverberation.
Of all the Requiems this one stands out for the beauty of its choral performance particularly in more peaceful parts.

Vahe

Would you believe Norrington?, posted on October 6, 2016 at 15:31:30

Kal Rubinson
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Definitely a contender in the modern multichannel competition.

RE: Would you believe Norrington?, posted on October 6, 2016 at 16:10:18
pbarach Audiophile Posts: 3307 Location: Ohio Joined: June 22, 2008	I might need to try this. I bought the Spano/Atlanta SACD. I'd never heard the Berlioz Requiem before. Well, I still haven't, because the performance is dull-dull-dull, and the sound is lackluster.

Yes - I haven't heard their Berlioz Requiem, but on other recordings, those folks are excellent [nt], posted on October 6, 2016 at 18:50:22
Chris from Lafayette Audiophile Posts: 26483 Location: SF Bay Area Joined: February 17, 2004 Contributor Since: February 6, 2012

No Norrington, nohow, no way! [nt] ;-), posted on October 6, 2016 at 18:51:45
Chris from Lafayette Audiophile Posts: 26483 Location: SF Bay Area Joined: February 17, 2004 Contributor Since: February 6, 2012

RE: Sunday Morning Opera/ Choral Choice: Colin Davis' Final Berlioz Requiem, posted on October 8, 2016 at 02:17:03
goldenthal Audiophile Posts: 1001 Location: Ontario Joined: March 28, 2003	Thank you, Kas! It is one of my all-time favorite pieces of music, the apotheosis, I think, of romanticism. Having lived for some time with each of the Ormandy and Abravanel performances, I settled long ago on the first Davis and didn't expect to be tempted by another, but now I may try the Bernstein though I've never been a huge Bernstein fan. Jeremy

That's what said before I heard it. [nt] ;-), posted on October 8, 2016 at 11:32:07
Kal Rubinson Reviewer Posts: 12436 Location: New York Joined: June 5, 2002

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Sunday Morning Opera/ Choral Choice: Colin Davis' Final Berlioz Requiem

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