Pergolesi's Stabat Mater
Thu, Aug 16 2012, 9:12PM
I recently discovered Pergolesi's Stabat Mater. I recently bought the DG/Decca All Baroque box and it had the Kirkby/Bowman version with Hogwood. I found the music deeply moving and so have started to explore other recordings. I got the Elin Thomas/Robin Blaze version on Channel classics on SACD. I like both these recordings- there is a purity in their singing (I think sounding operatic in this recording is inappropriate). I would be happy to hear about other recordings worth exploring. For example, how is the Scholl/Bonney version etc.?
Anand
Fri, Aug 17 2012, 7:30PM
#2
RE: Pergolesi's Stabat Mater
There is also a very fine version sung by Véronique Gens and Gérard Lesne with Il Seminario musicale. Have you found the standard of the recordings on the All Baroque box to be high Anand?
Sat, Aug 18 2012, 5:11PM
#3
RE: Pergolesi's Stabat Mater
Anand, you have already two excellent recordings in Hogwood and the one on Channel Classics. The other versions already mentioned are perfectly O.K. too. From my perspective, I would add:
- If you prefer the very solemn, subtle Baroque way, try the rare Proprius recording (in excellent SACD sound) with members of the Stockholm Baroque Orchestra under Maria Lindal and two low profile oratorio singers. Very moving and pretty serious.
In the same vein, there is a brilliant recording on the obscure Eloquentia label with almost unknown names but with unexpectedly positive results. A very moving and heart-felt performance, in very fine sound.
The recent recording on Mirare with the new "star-darling" of the baroque, namely N. Rial, and the new beloved counter-tenor C. Mena perform a very effective "Stabat Mater" with the Ricercar Consort under the experienced Pierre Pierlot.
- Despite you may not approve the most "operatic" performances, there are some who might deserve your attention:
The most recent with the "huge" Anna Netrebko (and an almost unknown mezzo) under Papano on DG might be of some interest, in any case...
The very standard performance of Abbado with the impressive alto L. Valentini-Terrani and the beautiful voice of M. Marshall, on DG too, is good enough for delivering all the poossible aspects of the work.
Likewise, Dutoit and his Montreal forces with the excellent voices of a very operatic soprano like J. Anderson and a very versatile mezzo like C. Bartoli can deliver the message quite well too.
Finally, above all, as the great combination of all, I found the quite old recording of C. Mackerras, with the sublime voices of the unique Mirella Freni and Teresa Berganza, unfortunately not in the best possible sound (on Archiv).
I hope it can be of some help.
Parla
Sun, Aug 19 2012, 12:09AM
#4
RE: Pergolesi's Stabat Mater
Thanks. Very helpful recommendations. I´ll try a couple of those. h.
Sun, Aug 19 2012, 4:53AM
#5
RE: Pergolesi's Stabat Mater
Do not forget the Freni/ Berganza/ Gracis on Archiv.
Maybe old but sung like angels.
Tue, Aug 28 2012, 1:45PM
#6
Pergolesi's Stabat Mater
Thanks everyone for their feedback. I am in the last stages of a doctorate and have not been checking the gramophone website regularly. So sorry for the late reply. The All Baroque box is excellent just as the Magnificat - 500 years of choral music box was. At 1-2 GBP per cd even not all recordings are of the same high standard, they are still worth it.
Rinaldo Alessandrini (Mingardo-Bertagnolli) is my favourite. And Labadie (Roschmann-Robbin) on the Dorian label also. As for your question, Scholl-Bonney are generally very highly regarded. h.
hector