Any comments on Giulini's recording of Bach's Mass in b on Sony?

found Giulini's second recording of Mozart's requiem on

Hi Maynard, I was curious about this recording too, and borrowed it from my public library and have been listening to it. It has gotten something of a bad rap on this newsgroup, but it seems to me there is much greatness in it, whatever the flaws. Giulini's pacing generally sounds exactly right to me; tempos are on the slow side but not slack; to my ears the movements build with momentum and grandeur. I prefer this conception of the work to some of the current HIP recordings, where the tempos often seem to me uncomfortably fast. Unfortunately, the quality of the recorded sound is a real disappointment and because of that I wouldn't strongly recommend this recording.

I too am new to the newsgroup, or at any rate have been only an intermittent lurker, so greetings.

It's a very beautiful, reverent, soft-edged performance with gorgeous choral singing and tempos that do seem to me simply too slow in places. For a non-HIP version of the work I prefer Jochum's digital EMI recording, which has all of Giulini's good qualities but just that much more liveliness. That said, it's hard to fault a performance that shows such sincerity and commitment, and which abounds in genuine musical qualities whatever the apostles of 'authenticity' might say.

Dave Hurwitz

I second Dave's recommendation of Jochum's EMI recording

Thank you (DH and MS) for recommending Jochum, which is undoubtedly a wonderful performance. It is livelier than the Giulini Sony, but also heavier in the way the bass line is emphasized (e.g. in the opening Kyrie). Giulini's bass is springier, more flexibly phrased.

'Soft-edged' is a good description of the Giulini. The thing that bothers me about that recording is that it is *so* soft-edged I can't hear clear entrances or pitch attacks, esp. in the chorus. I assume that this is primarily a product of the recording or miking, in conjunction with the acoustics, but maybe not?

I have not made a side-by-side comparison with Giulini's BBC recording, but my impression is that tempos are better (faster) in the BBC. Ultimately I don't think either recording is entirely successful, but that is kind of a shame because there is greatness in each.

Mark DeBellis

p.s. I do not check email at the above address.