Herbert Kegel - Mozart: Mass In C Minor Waisenhausmesse - Japan 3 CD Limited Edition

Credits:

Herbert Kegel

Description:

A project commemorating the 100th anniversary of Kegel’s birth and the 30th anniversary of his death. A collection of three albums featuring Mozart’s sacred music, showcasing the splendor of choral music. Original PHILIPS recordings from Kegel’s final years These recordings were originally made as part of a complete works project planned by the former PHILIPS label, with the goal of completion in 1991—the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death. For Kegel, who passed away in 1990, these represent his final recordings and are therefore a precious audio legacy. Although PHILIPS already had a large number of Mozart recordings, there were relatively few of his sacred works; consequently, it appears that Kegel—who was highly regarded at the time, particularly in the choral field—was chosen for the project. It should be noted that Kegel’s only previous recording for PHILIPS was Shostakovich’s *The Execution of Stepan Razin* in 1967 (released in 2011 as part of the same Vintage+plus series, catalog number PROC1152). His Mozart recordings began with two Masses in 1983 with the Dresden Philharmonic; in 1987, he recorded three Masses with the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra; and in 1988, he recorded two more. It is believed that further recordings were likely planned, but it is regrettable that they were cut short by his sudden passing. This reissue brings together for the first time all seven Masses that Kegel recorded for the PHILIPS label on three CDs. Since this marks the first time these individual CDs have been released separately since their original release—and given that the original print run was small—they are highly valuable. The performances consistently showcase Kegel’s signature style—balanced and clear-sighted music—and are particularly outstanding in bringing out the freshness and, in the best sense, the lightheartedness of Mozart’s early works. The fact that this is a pure performance, devoid of any harshness, paradoxically evokes the personal circumstances that would later befall Kegel, as well as the upheavals and cruelty of the changing social landscape, leaving the listener with a poignant sense of emotion. Furthermore, the performances by the East German choir and the soloists in each piece are superb, and we should perhaps be grateful that these recordings have survived at all. While these pieces are rarely performed, there is no doubt that this recording evokes a wide range of emotions. For this reissue, a new foreword and commentary by Atsushi Suzuki have been included in the booklet, while the liner notes for each domestic release have been reproduced exactly as they appeared at the time of their original publication. The original jacket designs have also been retained. Please note that this release of “Vintage+plus Vol. 30” includes a total of four titles.