Rossini*, Kari Lövaas • Brigitte Faßbaender* • Peter Schreier • Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Münchner Vokalisten, Wolfgang Sawallisch – Petite Messe Solennelle

Non-expert review...I have owned one other recording of this work for 25 years, the Corboz/Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne version on CD, which is a favourite. This Sawallisch version, bought recently because it is well regarded, is also very good but quite different in parts. The recording itself is excellent and the top class soloists come through very well. Overall I marginally prefer the Corboz version, principally for the way it romps along but great familiarity clearly makes for bias. The Kyrie in particular is at a much slower tempo in the Sawallisch version but overall it is still to me a very enjoyable recording. Probably worth mentioning that eight singers comprise the choir on this recording, as suggested by Rossini. This is I believe in addition to the four soloists who were enjoined by Rossini to join in when they were otherwise unoccupied. This authenticity is valued by some and makes for a different sound to a larger choir, with individual voices being distinguishable at times.