What would you like to do with 45 Minutes?

 

What to do when a work only exists on one recording, and that recording isn't great?

Answer: Let me listen to it, and I will give you the lowdown.

If the Missa Solemnis in C Major from 1816 is actually the composer's work (the liner notes intimate a lot of editions and revisions), it is an odd duck.

The Kyrie begins in a quasi recitative form for solo baritone. The Gloria calls for no less than eight soloists! The Credo begins without the words 'Credo in unum Deum', but instead its following phrase 'Patrem Omnipotentem'. And these oddities are just off the top of my head...

I would get more in depth detailing Cherubini's personal touches on the work, but the performers unfortunately distract the listener from much of the music.

The biggest item to know about this recording is it is a decidedly regional affair. The best thing here is the St. Petersburg orchestra, where, in the few exposed portions afforded them, are lovely sounding. They have a few ensemble slips and timing issues, but their tone is great.

The chorus isn't too far behind, although I think they could use an extra month of rehearsals. Their tuning is generally good, but everything seems spontaneous, and not in a complimentary way. At the end of the Gloria, for example, I caught an enthusiastic extra Amen from a bass, a singled-out occasion which is par for the course in this recording.

They are a Russian chorus, yet it was only the alto section which clued me in to their 'region'. Interestingly, they sing with a Germanic pronunciation of the Latin, but the soloists, who as far as I know are all Italian, do not.

Speaking of the soloists, they are the worst, particularly the fluttery main soprano. She ululates her way through, all the while sliding in and around the pitch willy-nilly. The rest of the soloist troupe are yell-y, off pitch-y, and could simply use more time preparing their music, usually leaving me wondering whilst listening if any of them would find their next note. Really, I wouldn't have been surprised if the whole work fell apart, but for some reason it did not.

The Italian label Bongiovanni is known for their live recordings of operas, and I suspect by the noise in this recording, that is the case here. The balances are bizarre; one moment the soloists will be singing right in my ear, the next they are behind the chorus far away. At one point in the Gloria or Credo, it felt as if the microphones were moving while the performance was going on.

So what to make of this? Well, you can't find this work recorded anywhere else, yet thankfully, the more I listen, the more of Cherubini's work I hear, and less of the performance. I would say, this is probably only for those super dedicated to the music of Cherubini. Otherwise, it depends what you as a listener would like to do with 45 minutes.

A review from 2024

Cherubini’s Missa Solemnis in C Major is an strange one compared to his more famous Mass settings, such as that on Warner Classics. Its Kyrie opens almost as a recitative for a soloist, the Credo omits the first words altogether, and most infamously, no less than eight soloists are required for the Gloria movement.

 

I’ll come right out and say it; this recording is not very good.

The soloists are swoopy and pitchy, the chorus is enthusiastic, yet could use more practice, and the main soprano soloist shouldn’t be the main soprano soloist. I assume this is a live recording, so even though the orchestra here is very good, even they have some timing and ensemble slips. The chorus is singing in Germanic Latin pronunciation, while the soloists are not, and I felt sure the whole performance was not going to make it to the end.

The sonics are equally bizarre, with balances out of whack and a lot of stage noise. All of this adds up to as unfortunate, since Cherubini’s Mass in C Major is only found here on this one recording. I appreciate the gumption to put on a performance like this for regional performers, here a Russian orchestra and chorus with Italian soloists, but it is hard to appreciate the work when listening to sonic and performance issues.

 

Still this is music, and not easily found either. A pass unless you are a Cherubini completist.

Listen on YouTube

Work
Missa Solemnis in C Major

  I. Kyrie (6.59)
 II. Gloria (6.00)
III. Credo (12.00)
IV. Offertorium (4.50)
 V. Sanctus & Benedictus (1.42)
VI. O Salutaris (5.25)
VII. Agnus Dei (7.25)

Ensembles
Glinka Cappella
St. Petersburg State Orchestra
Roberto Tigani, conductor

Label: BonGiovanni
Year: 1994
Total Timing: 44.38

 

If you really want to hear Cherubini's Mass in C, this is it.

Best to move on, unless you are a completist. If not, just leave it to me. I'll gladly throw it in the moat for you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find more Cherubini recordings HERE!