Described by Rossini as “the last mortal sin of my old age,” this wonderful late work is hardly “petite”. Although Rossini employs small (and unusual) forces–a dozen choristers, four soloists, two pianos, and a harmonium–the Petite Messe Solennelle does take close to an hour and a half to perform. The piece overflows with drop-dead gorgeous melody, and its tribute to Bach is seen in a couple of impressive fugues and an extended piano “Religious prelude”. Fine as it is, recorded versions aren’t exactly overflowing the store bins, especially if you insist, as you should, on the chamber version rather than the later one reluctantly orchestrated by Rossini to forestall others messing up his work. Despite a starry cast that included Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Brigitte Fassbaender, conducted from the piano by Wolfgang Sawallisch, my favorite LP recording of the work on RCA never made it to CD. Nor, to my knowledge, has a well-sung if poorly recorded LP version with Renata Scotto and Alfredo Kraus resurfaced. A decent CD issue by a Stuttgart choir led by Johannes Moesus on Tacet fills the gap but it’s no longer listed in Schwann, not necessarily foolproof indication of availability.
So where does this new release fit? Lacking stiff competition, it’s recommendable as a way to hear a quirky masterpiece that blends operatic verve and leavens religious devotion with a touch of irony. The overall conception is idiomatic but the execution leaves something to be desired. Solo voices are undistinguished at best and the chorus has a rawness and lack of tonal variety that reflects its limitations, exaggerated by the close-up recording. The pianists are foursquare and monochromatic, most damagingly in the “Religious prelude” at the heart of the work. A plus is the addition of two of Rossini’s most charming sonatas for strings. If you have the Tacet or LP versions I’ve mentioned you don’t need this. But if you don’t, you need to know this music.
