Bernstein/Bavarian RSO: Mozart Requiem K. 626 (rec. 1988) - DG 427 353-1 (DDD)

$

105

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and rare late-issue LP from Deutsch Grammophon (427 353-1, West German pressing*, white circle label, DDD stereo) features Leonard Bernstein and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus' richly inspired account of Mozart's Requiem K. 626, recorded "live" at Klosterpfarrkirche in July 1988.

*Note: This is the 6th copy I have offered of this recording and only the 2nd to have been pressed in West Germany – all others were pressed in Holland.

Joining conductor, chorus, and orchestra on this memorable occasion were vocalists Marie McMlaughlin (soprano I), Maria Ewing (soprano II), Jerry Hadley (tenor), and Cornelius Hauptmann (bass). The Bavarian Radio Chorus Master was Wolfgang Seeliger and the organist was Friedemann Winklhofer.

The editors of The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs & DVDs described this magnificent performance as "...a rich, warm-hearted reading, marked by a broad, expressive style in the slower sections. With weighty choral singing, this is a strongly characterized reading..." and it must be counted among the very finest recordings of Bernstein's final years.

For this recording the Executive Producer was Hanno Rinke, the Recording Producer Hans Weber, and the Balance Engineer Wolfgang Mitlehner.

Incidentally, the striking cover photo shows Bernstein's wife, the actress Felicia Montealegre in the role of Saint Joan in a photograph designed and executed by Carl Van Vechten. The conductor dedicated this recording to her memory.

Included is the full-size booklet with insightful liner notes in German (by Dietmar Holland), English (by Peter Branscombe), French (Marie-Pierre Lassus), and Italian (by Ernesto Napolitano), as well as the full vocal tests in the original latin and in German, English, and French translations.

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the jacket is EXCELLENT. There is some minor creasing, light edge wear and corner wear, and the remnants of a former catalog sticker to the rear panel, but that is all. There are no seam splits, owners' markings, bends, or other defects, and the whole remains solid, bright, glossy, and highly attractive in appearance – overall, an excellent collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is near-MINT. Though surfaces are not perfectly silent (and thus I have rated it NM vs. MINT), this is a fine copy and playback is superb. However, if you must have flawless surfaces, then please do not buy this LP – this is a lovely collector's copy.

PLEASE NOTE:
All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

PAYMENT:
Payment by PayPal is greatly preferred. Payment should be made within 5 days.

SHIPPING:
Shipping is free to anywhere in the world; this is true regardless of the number of LPs you buy, be it 1 or a 100. All LPs will be sent via standard airmail (7-10 days delivery). Note: There is no tracking number provided with standard airmail. Should you wish to have your item(s) sent via certified airmail (i.e., with a tracking number), please let me know.

FEEDBACK:
I will promptly leave feedback for all buyers. Please do not leave negative, or even neutral, feedback without first giving me an opportunity to resolve any dissatisfaction you might have with an item or transaction. I do understand that, on occasion, a buyer might believe the item description to be inaccurate or that a buyer may be disappointed in some other way regarding the sale. I promise I will do my very best to resolve any unhappiness you've experienced in your buying experience with me to your complete satisfaction. Thank you.

REFUNDS:
Returns are honored, and any buyer you makes a return will be refunded in full. Please let me know before making a return.

Please see my other classical LP and CD auctions, and feel free to write with any questions, I'll be glad to help.