Janacek: Glagolithic Mass / Zemlinsky: Psalm 83

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Janácek's Glagolitic Mass straddles his various styles. There are the heavy, idiosyncratic treatment of rhythm and the fresh yet often complex treatment of melody--elements that can be found in the composer's popular instrumental works. But with its stunningly high tenor and soprano solo parts and its lush choral and orchestral scoring, this work also has the yearning and drama of such Janácek operas as Jenufa. It's a fascinating work, rendered powerfully here. The soloists Eva Urbanova, Marta Benackova, and, especially, Vladimir Bogachov, are outstanding. Along with the members of the Slovak Philharmonic Choir, they sing the Old Church Slavonic text with great interpretive clarity. The disc ends with Zemlinsky's Psalm 83, composed in 1900 and premiered in 1987, and Korngold's Passover Psalm op. 30, which was completed during the composer's Hollywood years, a commission from Rabbi Jacob Sonderling. --Gwendolyn Freed

Tracks:

Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): I. Uvod (Introduction)
Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): II. Gospodi pomiluj (Kyrie)
Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): III. Slava (Gloria)
Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): IV. Veruju (Credo)
Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): V. Svet (Sanctus)
Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): VI. Agnece Bozij (Agnus Dei)
Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): VII. Allegro (organ solo)
Msa glagolskaja (Glagolitic Mass): VIII. Intrada
Psalm 83
Passover Psalm, Op.30

Amazon.com essential recording

Janácek's Glagolitic Mass straddles his various styles. There are the heavy, idiosyncratic treatment of rhythm and the fresh yet often complex treatment of melody--elements that can be found in the composer's popular instrumental works. But with its stunningly high tenor and soprano solo parts and its lush choral and orchestral scoring, this work also has the yearning and drama of such Janácek operas as Jenufa. It's a fascinating work, rendered powerfully here. The soloists Eva Urbanova, Marta Benackova, and, especially, Vladimir Bogachov, are outstanding. Along with the members of the Slovak Philharmonic Choir, they sing the Old Church Slavonic text with great interpretive clarity. The disc ends with Zemlinsky's Psalm 83, composed in 1900 and premiered in 1987, and Korngold's Passover Psalm op. 30, which was completed during the composer's Hollywood years, a commission from Rabbi Jacob Sonderling. --Gwendolyn Freed

Customer Reviews:

Light and reverent--a different Glagolitic Mass.......2005-11-03

This is famously an atheist's Mass. Janacek didn't believe in God, so he composed a stark, rugged, barbaric yawp, an outcry of primal, pre-Christian emotion. In keeping with this intent, most performances contain a lot of shrieking--the choral and solo parts are fiendishly hard to sing without shouting--but here Chaily has given us a reverent Mass (insofar as that can be done), one where the jagged edges are blended and smoothed.

The soprano and choir are especially light-voiced, although the tenor is quite thunderous, an odd anomaly. Chailly's tempos are occasionally slow, especially for the brass-dominated introitus. The Vienna Phil., needless to say, surpasses all other orchestras in this music for golden glow.

If you want a plush, beautifully blended performance, this is probably unique in the field. The sonics ae full-bodied but not terribly clear--you can't make out what the choir is singing most of the time (for the one listener in ten thousand who knows the language). The organ, which plays a prominent part, is splendidly voiced. There are many more echt-Czech readings on CD, but to my knowledge only one other that is even more civilized than Chailly's: a terrific live performance from Chicago under Pierre Boulez (available on a 2-CD set from the CSO website).

A definite must-have..........2003-11-27

Very original, full of stark contrasts and vibrant melodies, and not a single bungler in the cast! It's the sort of thing that will turn you into a Janacek fan. Amazon was even good enough to put some samples up, so listen to them.

Makerras or Chailly?.......2000-09-05

I just picked up Decca's new Glagolitic Mass with Chailly and the Vienna Philharmonic. It's been fun lately to compare it with what I thought would be *the* recording of this particular mass: the Makerras on Chandos with the Danish National Orchestra. Makerras gives us the "modern" Janacek--it's fast and lean and the composer's inimitable soundworld is displayed in stark relief. Chailly & Co. deliver a performance from right out of the Austrian countryside--the brass sound is burnished and warm, the Vienna strings are weighty and glowing, and the woodwinds are wonderfully pungent throughout. Chailly takes things a bit slower--allowing more of Janacek's delectable harmonic progressions to come through than Makerras does--though without any loss of forward momentum. I find Chailly's Introduction especially gratifying. As for the soloists, the new Chailly wins hands down. In the Gloria, Eva Urbanova floats the high Bbs on the word "Bogu" beautifully, while Tina Kiberg, (for Makerras), is noticeably strained. Vladimir Bogachov nails the stratospheric solos towards the end of the Credo--he's the best I've heard in this section. Thomas Trotter absolutely revels in Janacek's outrageously wicked and quirky organ solos--in fact, he seems more in tune with Makerras' unapologetically modern vision of the Mass than that of Chailly's bucolic take.

Percussion is not as pronounced in the Chailly, partially because Chailly uses the standard performing version, which simply employs less; and partially because of the recording: Decca's sound is more homogenous and resonant than the Chandos sound, which in this case is slightly harsh and brightly lit. Don't get me wrong though-- the Decca recording and performance provides plenty in the way of excitement and visceral impact. Usually Makerras is my unquestionable choice for Janacek, but this time around I think Chailly, London, and the Vienna Philharmonic have delivered a *great* performance.

John Smyth

Track Listings: