Best recoding of Mozart's Requiem

A second vote for the Schreier/Philips recording--the soloists are excellent, as is the choral work--that's the one I listen to for pleasure and to brush up on my part when my choir sings it. The new SACD with the Netherlands Bach ensemble is also quite good, but definitely lacks the fire of the Schreier version--a more leisurely pace, maybe a bit more introspective, and definitely a different version than the traditional Sussmayr version in certain spots.

Hello Matt, this might be off the topic but you might want to watch the movie called AMADEUS. A dramatic preformance, The Mozart Requiem scenes is ...Well, watch the movie ! I think that everyone into classical music should see this movie. The music was also presented by Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Sir Neville Marriner conducting, if I remember, correctly.

PS. It will sound beautifully on your HT system. That I know for sure :-) I wonder if they made it into DVD, yet ?

I don't know whether it is "the best" or anywhere near that mythical level, but the one I have is by the Choeurs et Orchestre de Paris under Daniel Barenboim, with Kathleen Battle, Ann Muray, David Rendall and Matti Salminen EMI CDC 7473422. It sounds good to me, but then what do I know, I have no other point of reference. Wonder what the previous posters think of this recording?

Yo, Sugarbrie: Dug your recommendation. Maybe I'll try it. I've sung the Requiem several times, including the bass solo.
Like you, I'm a professional chorister. I wish that being one made me an authority on the piece, but alas, it does not. I've sung with Schreier (St. John Passion) and saw/heard Hogwood do the Mozart at Royal Festival Hall. Still, I hestitate to recommend a definitive version, but hey, I'm a libra. I seem to gravitate more towards the lean and mean early music versions because I can hear the innards better. For overview and perhaps emotion...maybe the Schreier IS the one to have.

So I did a search, I did notice multiple version of Schreier's Requiem.. I also did find one with Schmidt and Araiza, That version was recently release, 1995. It maybe a remaster of your recomendation Sugarbie.

V18/Requiem+/Schreier:schmidt,Araiza,Lso on www.hmv.ca

I do remember the Movie and the Scene 6chac, the problem is that they rarly play the whole and complete Aria or movement on DVD, its usally snippets ..plus I always prefer 2-chn...but thanks !