Vladimir Yesipov - Osip Kozlovsky: Requiem (2010)

Osip Kozlovsky (1757-1831) was Polish but made his home in St Petersburg at the time of Catherine the Great. His Mass is credited as being the first Latin Requiem composed in Russia. Kozlovsky wrote his large-scale Mass in memory of Stanislas Poniatowski, King of Poland. The Mass is far too large and impractical to be suitable for actual liturgical use. It is hard to believe that it was written in 1798 because it is every bit the equal of Verdi's masterpiece in dramatic intensity: vide the sensational use of a crashing gong in the Dies irae. This performance, with all-Russian forces, is thrilling: it gave me goose bumps! A huge and magnificent choir, a quintet of superb soloists - including a fantastic bass - and a wonderful orchestra all recorded in a suitably spacious acoustic in 1988 and brilliantly remastered by Melodiya. The Latin diction of the choir and soloists is exemplary. They bring to the Latin Mass all the ardent fervour of Russian Orthodox liturgical singing. For good measure Kozlovsky adds onto the Mass a lugubrious funeral march and a heart-stoppingly beautiful Salve Regina. As an aficionado of Requiem's I have to say that this is among the most stupendous I have ever heard. Five stars is imply inadequate to convey my enthusiasm and recommendation for this glorious music.