Mozart Requiem

Has anyone here sung tenor in Mozart's requiem?

If so, how hard was it? Especially for matters of range?

I may be singing it in a choir soon, so it'd be nice to hear some opinions.

I will obviously find out for myself how hard it is, but I wanted to ask those of you with the experience of it.

It wasn't extremely difficult. Mozart didn't use an enormous chunk of first rate tenor range.

Not for choral stuff no.

But I don't have "an enormous chunk of first rate tenor range" anyway :thumbsup:

There seem to be alot of Gs, which is ok, and I only noticed one Ab (when skimming through the score) so I think it should be ok.

Ok then. :o

Well I sang over the part once, and Saturday is the rehearsal and performance!!! so that will be fun!

There are a few As, and Abs, but it seems manageable.

I'm singing tenor in this piece as well. I don't find it all that difficult, though it's sometimes difficult to concentrate on my part, because I get overeager and start analyzing the rest of the score while we are supposed to be rehearsing!

You're not a man though Nico, so I don't see what you're talking about :o

I never had a problem singing his Requiem, even with my modest lyric baritone-ish range. It's not too high, and the melismas in the Kyrie double-fugue are delightful.

Yes, they are rather nice, but this conductor apparently has a habit of rushing things... so I will find out in due course :P

Btw, I have a similar range to you, so hopefully things will be fine.

Rushing things in Kyrie definitely isn't too big of a deal; I've heard that taken far too slow before. My range is somewhere from low G to high G-Ab ish. You should be perfectly fine.

Mozart's Requiem is one of my favourite things to sing chorally. I've never found it very difficult, just challenging musically.

I've sung the tenor solo several times. The mors stupebit in the Tuba mirum has always been the most difficult for me to accomplish, because I'm really a 2nd tenor and an "operatic" high A-flat is not something at which I excel consistently. Still, I've done it. Singers in Mozart's day would not have sung that the way a bel canto trained operatic tenor is expected to sing it nowadays - that technique had yet to be invented - but still, that seems to be what everyone expects to hear. My favourite movement to sing as a soloist is the Recordare - sublime barely covers it.

Well. I'm just back from it.

It went fairly well. With regards to me singing the tenor part - that went fine.

I seem to remember singing only one A, and it wasn't difficult.

Lee - you will be pleased to hear that the Bass soloist used period vibrato. He seems to be quite into early music, and certainly in this performance, his tone etc. was perfectly suited.

The other 3 soloists, however, used plenty of vibrato.

Well, at least one of them did his homework.

Did you enjoy his sound? It can be an acquired taste. For a fine example of a great early-music soprano, check out Emma Kirkby. I used to have a recording of her singing the soprano solo in the Mozart Requiem with Chris Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music on LP. Must find that one on CD.

Oh, I'm quite a period instruments fan - I loved his sound!

Extremely pure and well defined.

I will check this Emma out. I already have a recording of the requiem with period orchestra and chorus, but the four soloists (sop. especially) utterly ruin the sound.

I knew you liked period instruments...wasn't sure how keen you were on period singing techniques. Glad you fancied it! :ermm:

Ooh, I love Emma Kirkby, and the Soprano solo in the Introit is what I want to have played at my funeral. It's so dazzlingly beautiful. I haven't heard her sing that part though, so I'm going to look for it.

Atm I'm more into countertenors though, and I've read somewhere that before he died, Mozart sang through the completed parts of the Requiem, with himself singing the alto part (as a countertenor then, I presume). Do any of you know of recordings using a countertenors for the (contr)alto parts?

And... Does any of you know the performance by Spering? For some reason he believes the Introit/Kyrie should be taken at HALF the speed of the Communio. I think it sounds terrible.

On the other hand, on the same cd, he recorded the fragments that Mozart completed himself, which is interesting enough to hear but not very enlightening.

I'll bet iTunes has Hogwood's recording with Emma on it...she sings the Te Decet Hymnus from the Introit gorgeously.

That recording does omit the sections written mostly or entirely by Sussmayr, though, which I think is elitist, but there it is. They actually re-wrote the Lacrymosa, trying to flesh out Mozart's sketches of it, and the result, while erudite, was sterile. What Sussmayr's Lacrymosa, Sanctus and Benedictus lack in perfection and fidelity to the Master's intentions, they make up for in sincerity and feeling.

Lee - do you know of any opera done with period soloists? Specifically Mozart opera.

I have most of them with period instruments and choruses, but the soloists insist on ruining the music with their over-the-top vibrato.

Mozart's Requiem

The mors stupebit in the Tuba mirum "operatic" high A-flat is not something at which I excel consistently. Singers in Mozart's day would not have sung that the way a bel canto trained operatic tenor is expected to sing it nowadays - that technique had yet to be invented - but still, that seems to be what everyone expects to hear.

I would argue with you - about how singers would perform that range, and what "bel canto" might mean, especially as it is so rarely actually surviving nowadays. Juan Diego Florez would be my starting point to describe the best modern idea of "bel canto". How well would he satisfy your idea of a Mozartean tenor delivery?

I would argue with you - about how singers would perform that range, and what "bel canto" might mean, especially as it is so rarely actually surviving nowadays. Juan Diego Florez would be my starting point to describe the best modern idea of "bel canto". How well would he satisfy your idea of a Mozartean tenor delivery?

Mozarts requiem.....I do not like it. someone finished it for him.

Lee - do you know of any opera done with period soloists? Specifically Mozart opera.

I have most of them with period instruments and choruses, but the soloists insist on ruining the music with their over-the-top vibrato.

I went to a performance of The Magic Flute (Pittsburgh) recently where the conductor insisted on very minimal vibrato and period playing. I don't think period instruments were used, but it was still interesting...

I went to a performance of The Magic Flute (Pittsburgh) recently where the conductor insisted on very minimal vibrato and period playing. I don't think period instruments were used, but it was still interesting...

The Queen of the Night aria is so great