The Europadisc Review
Mozart - Requiem
Raphael Pichon, Chadi Lazreq (treble), Ying Fang (soprano), Beth Taylor (mezzo-sopr...
£13.75
Here’s a bold and uncommonly thoughtful new take on one of the greatest warhorses in the choral repertoire: Mozart’s Requiem. Raphaël Pichon and his choral/instrumental Pygmalion ensemble have already made their mark with several Bach recordings (including an acclaimed 2022 release of the St Matthew Passion), as well as Monteverdi, Rameau and Libertà! (‘an imaginary drama giocoso’ compiled from various Mozart works). Now, turning their attention to this iconic opus ultimum, they present it (in Pichon’s own words) as ‘a veritable “ark of the covenant” between death and Mozart’s own vision of hu... read more
Here’s a bold and uncommonly thoughtful new take on one of the greatest warhorses in the choral repertoire: Mozart’s Requiem. Raphaël Pichon and his choral/instrumental Pygmalion ensemble have already made their mark with several Bach recordings (inc... read more
Mozart - Requiem
Raphael Pichon, Chadi Lazreq (treble), Ying Fang (soprano), Beth Taylor (mezzo-soprano), Laurence Kilsby (tenor), Alex Rosen (bass), Pygmalion
The Spin Doctor Europadisc's Weekly Column
Two Operas from the French Golden Age 1st October 2024
1st October 2024
What do you think of at the mention of ‘French opera’? Bizet’s Carmen, perhaps? Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande? The operas of Berlioz and Massenet? The grand oparas of Meyerbeer, the opéras comiques of Auber or the operettas of Offenbach? Yet the French operatic tradition is almost as old and certainly as impressive as that of Italy. And there are many who would argue that its ‘golden age’ came as early as the 18th century, with the generation of composers who followed the pioneering works of Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687), building on the achievements of his tragédies en musique to create works which combined opulence and refinement, that beguiling mixture of passion, grace and colour which is still considered to be the hallmark of French musical style.
Chief among the generations who immediately followed Lully was Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764), still most familiar... read more