Typically fine solo and choral singing in admirably clear Robert Shaw fashion provide the only attraction to what is otherwise a dull proposition. I’ve had occasion previously to mention just how unsuitable this music sounds when placed at the mercy of the interpretive mannerisms of the typical choral conductor. You simply cannot focus exclusively on the chorus at the expense of the orchestra or all of the climaxes fall flat. That’s exactly what happens here, a problem only emphasized by the clarity of Telarc’s recording and the excellence of the Atlanta Symphony brass. Not a moment goes by (especially in the Dies irae, Sanctus, and Libera me) when it’s not painfully obvious just how dynamically restricted Shaw’s conducting really is, and when the competition includes the composer’s own outstanding Decca recording, even at Musical Heritage Society prices this interpretation offers little appeal. Skip it.
