Petit Messe:lovely piece,uneven performance The gorgeous Kyrie from the Peit Messe Solonnelle has recently been used to good effect in the film 'Bad Education' prompting me to get to know the piece better and purchase this recording.The whole work is a delight,much lighter in tone and broader in length than the title would suggest.However,i suspect this is not the recording to have(i'm going to try Muti/EMI)as the soloists(a glamorous team)are unfocused and intonation a particular problem.There's a surprisngly tentative feeling about the whole performance.The piano part(a few splashy moments here) is normally taken on 2 pianos but here they make do with 1.....seems a shame to me. Stabat Mater receives an authorative account,another very approachable work which i shall enjoy getting to know better.
Disappointing First of all, the composition itself (Petite Messe Solennelle) may not be for everyone. There are some fine moments, but I find many of the choral movements to be sprawling and unfocused. The martial-sounding tenor aria is a little goofy and operatic for it's sacred text, but if you really like Rossini, you might get some guilty pleasure out of it. The soloists are uneven (I find the bass and mezzo to be especially disappointing). In general, there are some terrifying intonation moments, especially during the treacherous (a cappella) Sanctus. Wish I could recommend a better recording, but this is my first acquaintence with the piece. All things considered, I plan on dumping my copy. I haven't even listened to the Stabat Mater, which of course is much more widely recorded work.
The best performance of this enchanting mass Rossini's last major work, the petite messe solennelle, is in the tradition of haydn's last six masterful masses in the geniality and at many times happiness of the music. The version recorded here is the first version as soloists and chor are accompanied by piano and harmonium. The first version is genarally regarded as superior to the second one which Rossini orchestrated himself and asked not to perform it during his lifetime. Gandolfi is helped by four excellent italian soloists to convey the joy and power of the music. While the coupling of the spectacular stabat mater is very generous, some may want to purchase the stabat mater separately conducted by Hickox on Chandos.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
