Verdi’s mighty operatic Requiem and Fauré’s more demure offering are stablemates in this collection of rare recordings of these masterpieces. Reissues of Paul van Kempen’s recordings on Eloquence have been garnering great critical plaudits and this is the first international release on CD of his recording of the Verdi, made for Philips in 1955 and featuring stirring contributions from the soloists, especially soprano, Gré Brouwenstijn and contralto, Maria von Ilosvay.
Jean Fournet recorded the Fauré Requiem twice. While his later recording, in stereo, has been widely available, his darker 1953 reading of this work, which features Pierrette Alarie and Camille Maurane, is a rarity.
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Messa da Requiem
Gré Brouwenstijn, soprano
Maria von Ilosvay, contralto
Petre Munteanu, tenor
Oskar Czerwenka, bass
Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Roma
Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Roma
Paul van Kempen
GABRIEL FAURÉ
Requiem, Op. 48
Pierrette Alarie, soprano
Camille Maurane, baritone
Chœurs Elisabeth Brasseur
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
Maurice Duruflé, organ
Jean Fournet
Recordings: Église Saint Étienne-du-Mont, Paris, France, 25–26 June 1953 (Fauré); Teatro Argentina, Rome, Italy, 30 April–7 May 1955 (Verdi)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer