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It knocked my socks off. YESSSSSS.
Despite its fame (I mean, it's Mozart's Requiem!) I've never heard it before. I knew the apocryphal stories and about Süssmeyer, but I've never listened to it on tape or concert.
It was fantastic. As usual, I only enjoyed the soloists sort of (the tenor was great, the mezzo-soprano was excellent, soprano was meh, the bass sounded like rocks being shook; I am not a fan of vibrato generally) but it was the choir - the whole reason why I have the subscription - that made the whole concert.
Having never heard it, I didn't expect just how energetic the requiem was. The Introit (first section) was an explosion of sound. We'd started the concert off with a few motets and fugues - the former by the choir, the latter by the strings-only orchestra - which were mostly incredibly dreary. Fugues tend to be complex by nature, whether by JS Bach or not. As for the motets: one of motets was Carl Emmanuel Bach's, which had a text that enumerated the three stages of life and described them all as weeping and terrible. In fact, it literally started off with 'it begins with tears'. Then it went on to describe middle age and old age as vales of tears too!
The Introit of the Requiem, on the other hand, was just power - and I've always loved epic pieces. Even the kyrie - kyrie eleison, Christe eleison (Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy) - even the kyrie movement was blasts of power instead of pleading, almost a demand for mercy. I really hadn't expected that at all; look at the source text! But it was pretty awesome, not going to lie; the choir had a full-bodied and rich sound, really everything a choir should be, and with the layered setting of the kyrie it was a great kick of energy. Wikipedia tells me it's a double fugue with each statement a motif - that explains the depth of sound! All that polyphony... I got a bit lost during the Sequentia, especially since the soloists sang and I couldn't tell what they were saying. I got back on track when the choir sang REX three times, in ff dynamics, though (the line was rex tremendae majestatis.)
THIS concert more than justifies my subscription. (My three-concert subscription, that is. These concerts are expensive, even with the cheapest seats and student rates: I think the full subscription to all 10 concerts runs from $150-$750 before taxes *winces*) The first concert I went to was a bit disappointing - not bad, just nothing special - it was a French Baroque composer whose name absolutely escapes me right now (I think it had a Baptiste in there somewhere - maybe it was Lully?? I have to say that I'm not really a fan of the Baroque period. Give me Renaissance, Classical, Romantic music any day!) Also I did not almost fall asleep during the concert like I did last time so that was a big plus.
Undecided on subscribing to 2013/14 season. I might go for the symphony orchestra instead (these guys are a Baroque choir & orchestra.)
Despite its fame (I mean, it's Mozart's Requiem!) I've never heard it before. I knew the apocryphal stories and about Süssmeyer, but I've never listened to it on tape or concert.
It was fantastic. As usual, I only enjoyed the soloists sort of (the tenor was great, the mezzo-soprano was excellent, soprano was meh, the bass sounded like rocks being shook; I am not a fan of vibrato generally) but it was the choir - the whole reason why I have the subscription - that made the whole concert.
Having never heard it, I didn't expect just how energetic the requiem was. The Introit (first section) was an explosion of sound. We'd started the concert off with a few motets and fugues - the former by the choir, the latter by the strings-only orchestra - which were mostly incredibly dreary. Fugues tend to be complex by nature, whether by JS Bach or not. As for the motets: one of motets was Carl Emmanuel Bach's, which had a text that enumerated the three stages of life and described them all as weeping and terrible. In fact, it literally started off with 'it begins with tears'. Then it went on to describe middle age and old age as vales of tears too!
The Introit of the Requiem, on the other hand, was just power - and I've always loved epic pieces. Even the kyrie - kyrie eleison, Christe eleison (Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy) - even the kyrie movement was blasts of power instead of pleading, almost a demand for mercy. I really hadn't expected that at all; look at the source text! But it was pretty awesome, not going to lie; the choir had a full-bodied and rich sound, really everything a choir should be, and with the layered setting of the kyrie it was a great kick of energy. Wikipedia tells me it's a double fugue with each statement a motif - that explains the depth of sound! All that polyphony... I got a bit lost during the Sequentia, especially since the soloists sang and I couldn't tell what they were saying. I got back on track when the choir sang REX three times, in ff dynamics, though (the line was rex tremendae majestatis.)
THIS concert more than justifies my subscription. (My three-concert subscription, that is. These concerts are expensive, even with the cheapest seats and student rates: I think the full subscription to all 10 concerts runs from $150-$750 before taxes *winces*) The first concert I went to was a bit disappointing - not bad, just nothing special - it was a French Baroque composer whose name absolutely escapes me right now (I think it had a Baptiste in there somewhere - maybe it was Lully?? I have to say that I'm not really a fan of the Baroque period. Give me Renaissance, Classical, Romantic music any day!) Also I did not almost fall asleep during the concert like I did last time so that was a big plus.
Undecided on subscribing to 2013/14 season. I might go for the symphony orchestra instead (these guys are a Baroque choir & orchestra.)
