Janácek: Missa Glagolitica

Listen to A Soundtrack From This CD Excerpt used: Introduction

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Review:

These are re-issues of recordings from 1965 and 1964 respectfully of two of Janácek’s masterpieces. Although neither are digital the sound is mostly very good.

The Mass has had a few recordings since but none seem to me to equal the complete mastery that Kubelik evidences. Certainly Bernstein’s overwrought version is no competition. The strangeness of the Glagolitic remains a shock to the psyche and an affront to the ear. There is nothing in the literature that equals it in depth and eerie beauty.

The Diary of One Who Disappeared is no less strange. It too is a thoroughly disquieting work. It is one of those pieces where a single listening is not enough and even two …

Here there is some very good competition. In the early days of the CD Grayson Hirst & Shirley Love made a exemplary recording for Arabesque which I believe is still around and which is better than this not only because Hirst & Company were better vocalists but also because Anton Kubalek the blind Czech pianist was a better player than Kubelik. Also this was one place where digital really means something especially in the hushed and muted choral singing. (Arabesque Z6513)

Nonetheless with both works on one CD the DG recording is a real bargain.