Dvorak - Stabat Mater / Zvetkova, Donose, Botha, Scandiuzzi; Sinopoli

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
As with Mozart writing his Requiem, this live recording of Dvorak's Stabat Mater has taken on great significance from being released in the weeks following the death, at 54, of the conductor Giuseppe Sinopoli in April 2001. It is a massively portentous performance given with the Dresden Staatskapelle. Five searing climaxes surge through the opening movement after the bleakest of openings. The quartet of soloists spar dramatically in the "Quis est homo"--there is real curiosity in their desperate questioning. Chorus and tenor Johan Botha present the beautiful "Fac me tecum" melody as if it were the "Ode to Joy." The bass Roberto Scandiuzzi has the ponderous, pondering voice of an elderly judge. There is wisdom in his dryness. Mezzo Ruxandra Donose sings the "Inflammatus" with fluid, weeping tone. The Chor der Saechsischen Staatsoper Dresden embraces the choruses with considerable passion. The choristers are strong and unstraining in the "Eja mater," floating the quiet passages with well-supported whispering tone. By the time the finale comes round, they are sounding pretty tired, but that is the nature of the work. The mood is drained. You cannot hear the audience, but you can feel them. The world has lost a conductor who could create an atmosphere. --Rick Jones

Dvorak - Stabat Mater / Zvetkova, Donose, Botha, Scandiuzzi; Sinopoli, Music, Antonin Dvorak, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Johan Botha, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Staatskapelle Dresden, Ruxandra Donose, Mariana Zvetkova, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic, Sacred Choral Music

Dvorak - Stabat Mater / Zvetkova, Donose, Botha, Scandiuzzi; Sinopoli
Average customer rating:

Sorrowful

Like a mousse or chocolate cake

An emotionally intense, superb performance of Dvorak's score

Dvorak - Stabat Mater / Zvetkova, Donose, Botha, Scandiuzzi; Sinopoli
Antonin Dvorak , Giuseppe Sinopoli , Johan Botha , Roberto Scandiuzzi , Staatskapelle Dresden , Ruxandra Donose , and Mariana Zvetkova
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005A83D
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

Stabat Mater Op. 58: I. Quartette e Coro. Andante con moto - 'Stabat Mater dolorosa'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: II. Quartetto. Andante sostenuto - 'Quis est homo, qui non fleret'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: III. Coro. Andante con moto - 'Eja, Mater, fons amoris'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: IV. Basso solo e Coro. Largo - 'Fac, ut ardeat cor meum'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: V. Coro. Andante con moto, quasi allegretto - 'Tui nati vulnerati'

Tracks:

Stabat Mater Op. 58: VI. Tenore solo e Coro. Andante con moto - 'Fac me vere tecum flere'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: VII. Coro. Largo - 'Virgo virginum praeclara'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: VIII. Duo. Larghetto - 'Fac, ut portem Christi mortem'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: IX. Alto solo. Andante maestoso - 'Inflammatus et accensus'
Stabat Mater Op. 58: X. Quartetto e Coro. Andante con moto - 'Quando corpus morietur'

Amazon.com

As with Mozart writing his Requiem, this live recording of Dvorak's Stabat Mater has taken on great significance from being released in the weeks following the death, at 54, of the conductor Giuseppe Sinopoli in April 2001. It is a massively portentous performance given with the Dresden Staatskapelle. Five searing climaxes surge through the opening movement after the bleakest of openings. The quartet of soloists spar dramatically in the "Quis est homo"--there is real curiosity in their desperate questioning. Chorus and tenor Johan Botha present the beautiful "Fac me tecum" melody as if it were the "Ode to Joy." The bass Roberto Scandiuzzi has the ponderous, pondering voice of an elderly judge. There is wisdom in his dryness. Mezzo Ruxandra Donose sings the "Inflammatus" with fluid, weeping tone. The Chor der Saechsischen Staatsoper Dresden embraces the choruses with considerable passion. The choristers are strong and unstraining in the "Eja mater," floating the quiet passages with well-supported whispering tone. By the time the finale comes round, they are sounding pretty tired, but that is the nature of the work. The mood is drained. You cannot hear the audience, but you can feel them. The world has lost a conductor who could create an atmosphere. --Rick Jones

Customer Reviews:

Sorrowful.......2002-05-31

Antonin Dvorak's Stabat Mater is an achingly beautiful masterpiece. As a choral work, it is a brilliant outpouring of grief and sorrow. Here, Giuseppe Sinopoli's recording with the Staatskapelle Dresden is dark and compelling. This recording benefits from Sinopoli's background as an opera conductor. Compared to the same piece rendered with hypnotic beauty by Robert Shaw, this version elevates the dramatic aspects. The swirling vortex of the opening movement "Stabat Mater dolorosa" draws you deep into Dvorak's own sorrow at the death of his children. Sinopoli's climaxes during the opening 20 minutes are monumental. The Bass Solo & Chorus of the fourth movement are as touching as Brahms' German Requiem. The fifth movement chorus "Tui nati vulnerati" allows some muted joy to intermingle with the grief. The final movement returns to the original vortex. Only this time the climax becomes triumphant - as if to say 'this too shall pass'. Great sound quality and balance for a live recording. The choir is never muddy, always crisp. I think the benifit of an audience here helps produce the adrenaline evident throughout the performance. An essential of any choral collection.

Like a mousse or chocolate cake.......2002-02-15

This performance is overweight and superficial. Take the first (and most important) movement for example. The sound is so heavy, so glorious, so laden with a sort of Verdi sunlit tinge that the Stabat Mater seems woefully out of place. The five huge near climaxes (the chord is never resolved) are simplistically manipulated for dramatic effect. The Staatskapelle Dresden ceratinly have a tonal weight (but not a refinement) which can match the Weiner Philharmoniker, but Sinopoli's emphasis of drama and not pathos makes the music sound oh so superficial.
While the amazon reviewer praises Roberto Scandiuzzi's Bass( he must be an airhead), I found Scandiuzzi to be dreadful- he seems to have major trouble sustaining melodic lines, and his latin pronounication is sloppy beyond excuse.

The chorus on the other hand, are angels to behold! There are moments in this 90 minute+ work where the fact that the chorus is about 35-50 singers too large is excused. While this may be the cheapest recording out there, do try the hard to find but definitive Rafael Kubelik version (also mid-price) or the Swallaisch and Rilling recordings (which are full price.

While I generally support Sinopoli's iconoclastic goals (I loved his Mahler cycle) (1) Sinopoli is no Boulez interpretively (2) The Dvorak Stabat Mater is one of my favorite pieces and I consider it defiled in Sinopoli's hands.

An emotionally intense, superb performance of Dvorak's score.......2001-11-24

If this was Sinopoli's valedictory recording, I couldn't think of a better way of concluding his critically acclaimed career. He leads the Dresden Staatskapelle in yet another emotionally intense, warm performance noted for its intelligence and brilliant orchestral playing. The Dresden Staatskapelle's chorus matches the orchestra's playing in yielding a vigorous, warm performance of its own, never quite overshadowing the spectacular singing of the soloists - none of whom I have heard before. This is the first time I ever heard Dvorak's great work for chorus and orchestra; I was almost moved to tears.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Terra Incognita [Enhanced]

Tip-Toes/Tell Me More [Cast Recording]

The Great Tenors, Volume One

Ultimate Love [Box set] [Collector's Edition]