Dvořák’s Stabat Mater was a work brought about by personal tragedy of almost incomprehensible proportions, after the composer lost all three of his then living children. A setting of the mediaeval Latin prayer to the bereaved mother of the crucified Christ, it was to become both a work of mourning and a work of healing. The shifts of mood from grief and near despair to hope and faith run throughout the work, before the glory and solace of the final Amen. Neeme Järvi conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir in this live concert recording.

The head of a musical dynasty, Neeme Järvi is one of today’s most respected maestros. He conducts many of the world’s most prominent orchestras and works alongside soloists of the highest calibre. A prolific recording artist, he has amassed a discography of over 450 recordings. This new CD sits alongside Järvi’s acclaimed recording of the Dvořák Requiem released on the LPO label in 2009.

The strong soloist line up includes the superlative soprano Janice Watson and bass Peter Rose. Tenor Peter Auty along with Rose feature on the Dvořák Requiem recording (LPO0042).