Search - Recorded Sound, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sergiu Celibidache :: Celibidache Plays Mozart's Requiem

Apotheosis of Mozart

Sungu Okan | Istanbul, Istanbul Turkey | 11/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the greatest performances of Mozart Requiem in all recording history. As usual, this is a live recording of Celibidache. As you know, Celibidache was hated the "recorded music". He believed that, the music should be performed only in a concert hall and the audience, listeners should live that for one time, when the music playing in hall! But, if that performance was not recorded, we cannot listen that marvellous ocassion, anymore!



The tempos are incredible and very slow. Especially, in the first "Requiem aeternam" section, the tempo is Zen-like, and the Münich Philharmonic and Münich Chorus performed excellent. When you listen it, believe me, you can weep... And somewhere the tension ups, like in Dies irae movement. May be the tempi are slowly (not fast, tempestous as in Harnoncourt or Marriner versions) but Celibidache's ensemble played it very furious. So you can feel, "the Day of Judgement". The soloists are amazing. They sung very impressive, especially in Recordare. And I will not say about "Lacrymosa" movement. You know already that how it is pathetic...



The performance excellent and at this price, you must have that recording.



Highly recommended."

Incredibly moving

Robert Timmers | Atlanta, GA | 10/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The review of this live performance in 1995 expains it all:



"What fire, what enthusiasm has been kindled in two weeks of intense preparation under Celididache!....The unworldly transition into the 'Lacrimosa', the baroque joy of the 'Domine Jesu', the sweeping melodic power of the 'Quam olim Abrahae', and (in the Introitus) an opening that comes from another world, so definitive but so removed from all personal desires - what we experienced here surpassed all description. We must suppose, indeed, that we will never again hear this work in all its perfection."



Eventhough a recording can only transmit a small percentage of what actually happens in a live performance, we are fortunate that this performance reached such heights that a small percentage of still overwhelms any other record. This is Celibidache's genius at its finest and you'll be hard pressed to find a better performance of a symphonic chorus on record than this one."

An interpretation that few would be brave enough to attempt

Drastic | Cascade, MD United States | 12/04/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Suppose you already had a dozen recordings of the Mozart Requiem, and I came to your house and picked one out at random and played it without telling you which performance I had chosen. Honestly, most of us could not identify it, and that is simply because so few conductors have anything unique to say about a work in the standard repertoire. But the chances are good that you could identify Sergiu Celibidache's recording. His interpretations of nearly everything are unique and identifiable. Question is, does it work in every case? Not always, but in the case of the Requiem, I think what you will hear is the power of a great intellect at work. His deliberate pacing and thoughtful lingering over each note give insights that you probably will not hear elsewhere, and the Requiem deserves such a performance. I'm not sure it's my favorite Requiem, but I am sure glad I have this recording."