# Favorite Missa Solemniss and Mass in B minor recordings



## dillonp2020 (May 6, 2017)

I am very fond of the pieces, which I only have as a part of some digital download. I prefer cd copies, and would like some suggestions as to which recordings you like. Thanks in advance!


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Missa Solemnis:









Mass in B Minor:









*These are just _my_ favorites.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I also prefer Klemperer for the Beethoven. Leonhardt is my pick for the Mass in B minor.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Regarding the Missa Solemnis, check out this recently active thread...

http://www.talkclassical.com/3172-beethoven-missa-solemnis-op.html


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## AfterHours (Mar 27, 2017)

*Mass in B Minor - Johann Sebastian Bach (1749)*









*Missa Solemnis - Ludwig van Beethoven (1823)*


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Leonard Bernstein's version on SONY please , may be a bit controversial but it holds your attention from minute one and has Eileen Farrel as soloist.


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Non-HIP
Bach: Karl Richter on Archiv 1961
Beethoven: Bohm VPO on DG

HIP
Bach: Bruggen on Philips
Beethoven: Harnoncourt ECO on teldec


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Beethoven: Klemperer et al.
Bach: Will admit to not having heard many more recent ones. But always had a thing for the Richter/Munich performance.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Since it hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet: The very very best Missa is Gardiner's more recent recording. Some might call that an opinion, but I know it's a fact, for a fact.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

MarkW said:


> Beethoven: Klemperer et al.
> Bach: Will admit to not having heard many more recent ones. But always had a thing for the Richter/Munich performance.


The only performance of the Missa Solemnis I have found to rival the Klemperer is a Toscanini performance, but the sound is dismal.

I grew up with the K. Richter B minor Mass recording. It's a bit old-fashioned sounding in this brave new HIP world we are living in now, but it is heartfelt and moving, and that counts for a lot.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Since it hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet: The very very best Missa is Gardiner's more recent recording. Some might call that an opinion, but I know it's a fact, for a fact.


This one is intriguing. I wonder how much it differs from his previous rendition. I'll try to get it, thanks for the recommendation. :tiphat:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Checked out Bach and I will go for this one, old but gold .


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I like the Missa Solemnis.

I think Harnoncourt dominates the field here, the more recent the better IMO. Also I recall a super one from Gielen. 

If you want to brave the world of historical recordings, there are people like Toscanini, the one he made with Kipnis, not the early one. Kipnis in the Agnus Dei is unforgettable. And Clemens Krauss, Constantin Sylvestri and Jasha Horenstein - at least if you can bear romantic performance and operatic singing. Less poorly recorded, old fashioned romantic but worthwhile nevertheless, is one of Karajan's from the mid 1970s, with Janowitz, Baltsa, Van Dam and Peter Schreier. 

One fun one is Eugen Jochum, because it's so kitsch it's like ironic, so bad it's good! 

I haven't kept up with recent recordings, there may be some very good ones. I haven't heard Herreweghe for example. But if I could only keep one it would be the last Harnoncourt CD


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Bulldog said:


> I also prefer Klemperer for the Beethoven.


I find Klemperer (philharmonia) overbearing in the choral music.


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## Star (May 27, 2017)

I find the Klemperer recording the soloists are on an off day. They don't gel together or sound very good singng on their own. And some of K's tempi are sluggish compared with his earlier Vox version. Must confess never quite seen what people see n it apart from some pretty good choral singing.
The version with four heavenly soloists is Karajan 1966 on DG which is utterly inspired. His later one on EMI is pretty good too as is Berstein's live DG version.


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## Andolink (Oct 29, 2012)

Gardiner's Missa Solemnis:










John Butt's B minor Mass:


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