| “In the final decade of his life, Mozart composed only four sacred vocal works: the Mass in C Minor, two motets and the Requiem in D Minor. Of those four works, only the motets were completed by the composer before his death. In addition, the Mass in C Minor was the only sacred work not to have been specifically requested or commissioned. Even in its form as Mozart left it, the Mass in C Minor is regarded as one of the three greatest settings of the Mass Ordinary (the other two being Bach's Mass in B Minor and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis). The Mass in C Minor is no more "incomplete" than Schubert's Symphony in B Minor is "unfinished". The work stands as one of Mozart's loftiest and most sublime creations.”
Louis Langrée, who has already conducted two Mozart recitals on Virgin Classics, and both Natalie Dessay and Véronique Gens, is considered one of the foremost Mozart conductors today (he is musical director to the New York Mostly Mozart festival since 2003). He here conducts Le Concert (on period instruments) and le Choeur d’Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm’s ensemble, which has been augmented for the work and the concerts given prior to the recording.
Natalie Dessay and Véronique Gens are accompanied by two great new talents: the Finnish tenor Topi Lehtipuu and the Italian bass Luca Pisaroni. |
