Schubert Masses

[HaydnFan]

Hi everyone,

I want to buy a Schubert mass but I'm not sure which to go for. I like his Mass in G but I cannot find a good recording (any suggestions?). I have found some good recordings of the A and E-flat Masses, though.

What should I purchase?

[Geratlas]

I advice you to keep a look out for the recording made in the Augustiner-Kirche in Wien. Otherwise you might be interested in the masses a.o., with Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting: Schubert ~ Geistliche Chorwerke, EMI 7647782. / yours sinc.

[robert newman]

I personally think the mass in E Flat is very fine but that Schubert, to be fair, was never expert in this form. There are glimpses of greatness in all the masses. The E Flat in particular is a work of immense depth and in some places other worldly beauty but even here there is a certain clumsiness in the way he constructs the movements. I don't want to detract from the achievements of the great Franz Schubert. These masses are in my view steps towards a greatness in church music that he never quite reached. Having said this, they would be part of my library as milestones in the career of a tremendous musical genius. Whatever defects there are are more than offset by knowing who wrote these pieces. I like them very much.

[Cetto von Cronstorff]

Originally posted by Geratlas:
I advice you to keep a look out for the recording made in the Augustiner-Kirche in Wien. Otherwise you might be interested in the masses a.o., with Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting: Schubert ~ Geistliche Chorwerke, EMI 7647782. / yours sinc.

I advise you to avoid everything recorded in the Augustinerkirche. Look for the Sawallisch recording on EMI. Lucia Popp's singing is glorious.