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What is the best version of Mozart's Requiem on SACD? Clearly, artistic performance is important, but that said my primary requirement is top quality sonics. Modern vs. original instruments are also secondary. I have Marriner (modern) and Pinnock (original) on RBCD, and enjoy them both.
Thanks.
Pete
Follow Ups:
but I want to recommend the Peter Schreier-led Requiem on Philips, from the mid 1980s on RBCD. A just beautiful performance and the sound is rich and pleasant. It's simply a great release.
Don't know which one is the best for SACDs but here's the ones I enjoy listening to. I like each of them for different reason(s):
LINN: Scottish Chamber Orchestra w/ Mackerras
NCA (New Classical Adventure): Bachchor Mainz - L Arpa Festante München w/ Ralf Otto
DG (SHM-SACD): Wiener Philharmoniker w/ Karl Bohm
worth the $60.00 charge for the remastering to SHM-SACD? I am impressed with most (but not all) of the Universal SHM-SACD releases, and if the Bohm Requiem takes full advantage, I might be willing to spend the extra money.
Pete
First, there is a nice listing at www.sa-cd.net.
Second, my favorite, for some time now, has been the Mackerras/SCO on Linn.
Third, I also like the Savall on AliaVox and the van Veldhoven on Channel Classics.
Fourth, I wrote a little comparison about 3 performances a while back but now a bit dated.
I am not sold on the audio quality of this one, especially when compared to other Linn SACd's
But it ain't too shabby and the performance is a ringer, imho.
Kal
I like the Mackerras, too.
The Capriccio recording with Bertini and Cologne RSO is mediocre in both its singing and its engineering - surprising, since I generally like Bertini. I dumped this recording.
Also, the Karajan recording is not great either. (I'm judging by the DVD-Audio incarnation, rather than the SACD.) The choral singing is pretty wooly, as one of the reviews on SA-CD.net correctly points out.
Many of the available Mozart Requiem performances on SACD are HIP-based or HIP-influenced, so that would remove them from consideration as far as I'm concerned - others of course may well feel differently.
It's well known that many of the DG recordings of that era were far from ideal, with gobs of mic's and plenty of other manipulation. The sound was frequently fuzzy and dynamically unrealistic. However, some of the performances are superb.
Karajan's Mozart Requiem is not the stinker you make it out to be. You haven't even heard the SACD, yet you warn the poster to avoid it. Not very credible advice. Then you cite the one review at SA-CD that trashes the chorus and awards only two stars for performance, out of several other reviews that award four or five stars.
It's not five star material, to be sure, but there is certainly no need to avoid it. In fact, some critics consider it a reference, or at least among the better versions.
Peace,
Tom E
Yes - I haven't heard the SACD - that's why I was up front and stated what I was basing my opinion on. And you're taking me to task for it? As canonical states on SA-CD.net, the SACD was based on a 24/96 re-master - I would guess the same re-master that was the basis for the DVD-Audio. If you don't find that advice credible, that's fine. BTW, one of those other two "glowing" reviews on SA-CD.net was based on the poster having listened to a total of 20 SACD's in the previous four months!
Even you admit that the DG sound quality from that time was "frequently fuzzy and dynamically unrealistic". I agree - and I stand by my comments about the performance too!
And, BTW who, pray tell, are these critics who consider this Karajan recording of the Mozart Requiem to be "a reference, or at least among the better versions"?
Oh, and one last question: have YOU heard this Karajan performance, and, if so, on what incarnation have you heard it? Do you really contend that the choral singing on this recording is top notch?
I took you to task because you suggested the poster "avoid" the disc, based on your hearing only the DVDA and not the SACD. Despite identical masters, there could be, in fact, there is likely to be a sonic difference. I never liked any DVDA I've heard. It's not your taste I was criticizing.
The Karajan is given three stars in the Penguin Guide. Damning by faint praise perhaps, knowing their passion for much of Karajan's output, but they didn't have much negative to say about it. I thought I had seen it listed somewhere as a reference, but perhaps not. I withdraw that.
Ratings at SA-CD are more favorable than not, with a majority recommending the disc. That's not unusual, but it is worth something.
Yes, I have the SACD. I might make but I don't publish judgments of things I haven't even heard. I also owned the Runnicles on Telarc. I prefer the Karajan, but I never stated it was "top notch." I don't know if I could state that about any DG SACD I've heard. This is on a par with most; that is, not awful. Despite less than ideal sonics, I think the forceful solemnity of the performance makes it worthwhile hearing.
Peace,
Tom E
I hope it didn't appear harsh and sarcastic - if so, I apologize!
I also wonder if my understanding of the OP's question was different from yours. I thought he was asking for the best recommendation for the Mozart Requiem on SACD, and I thought he needn't bother with the Karajan. But in the meantime, I listened again to my DVD-Audio, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I was remembering. I still can't imagine it would be considered the best of the SACD's, but your phrase, "forceful solemnity", certainly applies. OTOH, I still say that the choral singing is far from the best I've heard in this work (although it's certainly not the worst either).
In regard to the possible sonic differences between the DVD-Audio and the SACD, and assuming that they both used the 24/96 re-master, I would suspect that, if anything, the SACD might sound slightly worse. Why? Well because you start out with the impulse response compromises of PCM (not that they're necessarily audible!), and then you convert to SACD, where you can't get rid of the existing impulse response compromises, but then you add the ultrasonic noise of SACD, and, as other posters here have suggested, you've got the worst of both worlds - not that any of this is necessarily audible! ;-) But I've long championed the idea that DSD masters ought to be released on SACD, and PCM masters ought to be released on DVD-A or (now) blu-ray or downloads.
Anyway, thanks for the reasoned response, and sorry again if my post appeared offensive.
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