Mozart
's swan song, the unfinished
Requiem in D minor, K. 626
, has been frequently recorded since the LP or even the 78 rpm era. Yet here is a fresh reading from
Raphaël Pichon
and his
Pygmalion
ensemble, more known for historically oriented performances of Baroque music up to this point. In a way, this is a Baroque-style performance; it is sober, emphasizing the apocalyptic passages, and it comes off as more religious than
himself probably was, but the most striking departure from convention here is the interpolation of short pieces into the mass, mostly written by
in his youth, with the whole thing framed by pieces of chant sung by a rather haunting young treble. Of course, masses from some periods were likely to have motets inserted, but that doesn't seem to be what
Pichon
is after here (and it is not clear that this would ever have been done with the
Requiem
). Instead, the music has the flavor of
looking back and reflecting on his relationship with the sacred. This sounds morbid, but the performances of these short works, which are all but unknown (try the
Solfeggio in F major, K. 393
), are lovely, and the whole is rich and life-affirming.
comes down on the side of those who claim that
Franz Xaver Süssmayr
, who completed the work, had instruction from the dying
on how to finish it, with only the Sanctus being subpar, and he makes a convincing case for this as well. The singers -- choral and soloists -- all fit into
's larger scheme, and the album leaves a powerful emotional impression. The album is very well recorded at the Grand Manège de Namur concert hall in Belgium. ~ James Manheim