Verdi - Requiem / Guttenberg, Coburn, Schmidt, European Symphony

Rating:
Summary: Love Verdi, hate this version
Review: If you love the Verdi Requiem I believe that you, like me, will be disappointed with this version. It surprised me to hear a spinkling of wrong, or fractured, notes in prominent spots. Rehearing these passages is like walking with a pebble in your shoe - it gets more and more annoying - even painful. Considering the DVD recording medium and the date of recording, it is also woefully poor quality. Stick to one of the older recordings and you stand a better chance of being satisfied.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best, but still excellent
Review: The two best DVD performances of the Verdi Requiem are those of Karajan (from 1967) and Abbado (the recent Berlin version). Guttenberg leads a less virtuosic ensemble but still captures the excitement and grandeur of this work. His quartet of soloists is excellent (although less stellar than Karajan's); Pamela Coburn's shimmering soprano is the standout of the group. The quality of picture and sound is less spectacular than Abbado's but superior to Karajan's. If you love this music enough that you must have more than one version, I suggest that you make this DVD number three on your list.