Comparison Recordings:
Fauré: John Rutter Collegium
COLCD 109
Fauré: Fischer-Dieskau, de los
Angeles, OSCC, Cluytens GROTC CDM 5
66894 2 UK; 7243 5 66894 2 Europe; Angel
5 66946 2 USA. review
The Fauré Requiem
is a problematic work in that the composer
left it in several versions, none of
which is considered perfectly satisfactory.
To this day performers assemble and
re-orchestrate their own versions from
the various manuscripts.
In the above-mentioned
recording of the John Rutter full orchestra
score he takes his idea of the best
bits from all of Faure's manuscripts
to provide as complete an experience
of the music as possible and has been
to date my favorite version. But one
of the charms of the music is its lightness
and transparency, giving the text a
dreamy sense of poignancy, sadness and
intimacy. Are you ready for this new
version, a chamber motet for small vocal
ensemble and soloists accompanied by
organ?
The Duruflé
Requiem is an at once appealing
work, strikingly original, tonal but
modern in sound, endlessly fascinating.
The "Sanctus* is tremendously exciting,
the "Paradisum" gorgeously
other-worldly. This chamber-sized performance,
apparently arranged by the composer,
for small choir and organ stresses the
intimacy and integrity of the work and
is quite successful.
However the real star
of this recording is baritone Olle Persson
who is described in the notes as "...one
of Sweden’s most sought-after singers."
Like many of his voice range he has
apparently studied the technique of
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and unlike
many baritones, he has been able to
match many of the German baritone’s
best qualities while avoiding most of
the unfortunate mannerisms which Fischer-Dieskau
exhibited in his later work. You will
find Persson’s performance here entirely
comparable to Fischer-Dieskau’s and
you may prefer him. I don’t know if
it is fair to say that this recording
is a showcase for Persson but he is
the best thing in it. The chorus is
very accomplished and the organ accompaniment
is above all discreet, supporting the
singers without drawing attention to
itself. The other soloists are very
fine, but not in the same rank as Persson.
You may, as I do, prefer a boy soprano
in the "Pie Jesu" of the Fauré
work, although adult Ms. Miah Persson
sings it beautifully here. It is not
noted whether she is related to Olle
Persson or not; the name is a common
one in Sweden.
Even on the SACD tracks
there is an odd slight rawness to the
sound of the tenors suggesting some
attempt at acoustic enhancement. Surround
perspective is very subtle and center-front
weighted.
*This movement was
for a long time my own personal choice
for a "Pluto" movement to
Holst’s The Planets; I have played
it that way for friends many times and
they generally applaud my choice. But
for this use you need the full orchestral
version with large symphonic choir of
which there are a number of fine recordings.
I have also come to enjoy and greatly
admire Colin Matthews’ "Pluto."
Paul Shoemaker
Swedish Radio choir/Fredrik Malmberg 
BIS
SACD-1206 [73.54] 
