Credits:

Uccellini / Gricmanis / Cicic

Description:

The Gloria Mass, the only authentic church music written before Rossini retired as an opera composer. Pappano and five soloists give a magnificent performance of this rarely recorded piece! The Gloria Mass was composed in 1820 and is one of Rossini's three major religious works, along with "Stabat Mater" and "Little Missa Solemnis". It was premiered at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and the neighboring church of San Ferdinando, but unlike the usual mass form, it consists only of a "Kyrie" of about 10 minutes and a "Gloria" of about 50 minutes. It is the only liturgically based work Rossini wrote before his early retirement from opera composition, and is said to have been written in two to three days. Performing this work requires, among other things, five soloists. The soloists used here are all well-known bel canto singers and Rossini singers. They sang the most difficult melody Rossini had ever written to perfection, praising and expressing the Church and the Word of God. Pappano, who has won acclaim for his many previous performances of Rossini's operas and religious works, takes on this work with complete control of soloists, chorus, and orchestra. Warner Music Japan