[log in to unmask] writes:

>I intend to buy a recording of Beethoven's Missa solemnis.  I have heard
>about the Klemperer, Gardiner, Solti, Herreweghe versions but have not
>heard them.  Can you tell me what is your favourite account? That would
>help me a lot.  Thank you.

You've named 4 very diverse perfomances.  Your choice may depend on your
taste.  Gardiner is fast, intense, but not, in my opinion, meditative or
"deep." Klemperer can be stodgy in the fugues, but he seems to get at the
spiritual depth better.  His recorded sound is good, with some tape hiss in
the background.  The new Solti has gotten some good reviews, but left me a
little cold.  Maybe the recording isn't detailed or "close" enough.  I
haven't heard the Herreweghe.

My personal favorite is still the Harnoncourt.  It has the bite and
intensity of Gardiner, with slower tempi and (for me) a better attention
to the spiritual aspect of the work.  I'm told that the recorded sound is
a little less than optimum, but I never felt that way listening to it.  The
choral work is superb, and I never fail to get chills at the transition to
"dona nobis pacem" in the Agnus Dei section.

Levine is also good, and Shaw is great for smooth, deep sound at the expense
of drama.

Jim Saunders
Portland, OR