Ed Zubrow wrote:

>Beethoven's Missa Solemnis played a key part in my youthful developing
>interest in classical music.

The MIssa Solemnis was probably one of the first pieces of choral music
I heard on record and greatly increased my interest in classical music.
I think I was about 13 or 14 and listened to Bernstein's Concertgebouw
recording of it in a library.

>I'd be interested to hear which versions others favor and why.

Although Bernstein's was the very first version I heard, I don't actually
own a copy of it.  What I do remember of it was that it was incredibly
moving and intense, but then first impressions tend to be special.

My first recording was again with the Concertgebouw, this time with Jochum.
At the moment, this is my favourite because I think Jochum lets the music
speak for itself.  Tempi are generally broad but well-judged, the choral
singing is good (at least to these ears).  It's a weighty interpretation,
yet beautiful and sensitive, especially in the Benedictus where Hermann
Krebbers (concertmaster at the time) plays the solo violin part.  The
recorded sound is good, but beginning to show it's age (early 1970s?)

The next I heard couldn't be more different.  Gardiner's on period
instruments was for me too fast, hurried and I thought it slightly
flippant.  Still, that's a matter of taste and the sound and chorus is
good.  I just find that the ensemble is too small to do the work justice.

I've not investigated much beyond that.  I have a 1944 recording with
Clemens Krauss and the VPO which is pretty impressive if you can get past
the poor recording.  It's also interesting given the setting and subject.
I've recently acquired Klemperer's recording which if I can recall is much
liked on this list.  I haven't listened to it yet, but it promises much.

Edwin Pang <[log in to unmask]>