Jacobs Disses Beethoven’s Missa (Video Review)

David Hurwitz

Artistic Quality:

Sound Quality:

The Bottom Line: This dreadful new version of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis takes an excellent chorus, four fine soloists, and an over-parted Freiburger Barockorchester and places them in service to a Dadaist interpretation that reveals nothing musically rewarding. Jacobs clearly has decided that he needs to do something “different,” and that if that something bears scant relationship to Beethoven’s obvious intentions, then too bad for Beethoven. And for us.


Recording Details:

Reference Recording: Klemperer (EMI); Bernstein (Sony or DG); Jochum (Decca)

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