Document

  1993
    May 1993
        Choral and song
                Haydn and Mozart Masses.

Haydn Mass in D minor, "Nelsonmesse", HobXXII/11^a.

Mozart . Mass in C, "Coronation", K317^b. ^a Barbara Bonney, ^b Margaret Marshall (sops); ^a Anne Howells, ^b Ann Murray (mezzos); ^a Anthony Rolfe Johnson, ^b Rogers Covey-Crump (tens); ^a Stephen Roberts, ^b David Wilson-Johnson (bars); ^a London Symphony Chorus; ^b Choir of King's College, Cambridge; ^a City of London Sinfonia / Richard Hickox; ^b English Chamber Orchestra / Stephen Cleobury.

Decca Ovation (Mid price) (CD) 436 470-2DM (67 minutes: DDD). Item marked ^a from 414 464-2ZH (11/85) and recorded in association with British Aerospace, ^b 411 904-2ZH (12/84).

Haydn—selected comparison:

Pinnock (2/88) 423 097-2AH

Mozart—selected comparison:

Hogwood (4/93) 436 585-2OH

Two of the outstanding Masses of the classical era, but nevertheless very strange bedfellows on this CD, for the performances are miles apart in style and approach and indeed, on their own different terms, in merit. The Mozart work is ill-suited to the King's choir, whose very special abilities lie in other areas; and the direction seems to me to produce a performance without expressive vitality or even a commitment to the musical language of the Coronation Mass. The tempos are slow and the whole performance is oddly joyless. Even the usually admirable Margaret Marshall seems to be in hard and unsure voice. There are several superior versions in the catalogue, notably the Hogwood that I wrote about last month (L'Oiseau-Lyre).

While this is a chapel-style performance by a smallish choir and orchestra, the Haydn Nelson Mass receives an uncompromisingly big performance from the London Symphony Chorus and the City of London Sinfonia, with vigorous and enthusiastic direction from Richard Hickox. He sets lively tempos—just once or twice he goes a little too far and it threatens to become coarse—and he carries off the large-scale fugal movements with a really splendid momentum, and indeed the symphonic ones no less. The solo team, too, could hardly be bettered: I enjoyed above all the natural and musical singing of Barbara Bonney, and Anthony Rolfe Johnson gives pleasure as always. The grand dramatic moments, such as the solemn fanfares at "Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini", want nothing in force, and Hickox catches too the noble gravity of the contemplative music. Those who prefer a more historic style of performance should, I think, choose the Gramophone Award-winning Pinnock recording (Archiv), the most pleasing version I can remember hearing of a Haydn Mass; but among larger-scale performances I cannot imagine this one being much improved upon.

SS



		Two of the outstanding Masses of the classical era, but nevertheless very strange bedfellows on this CD, for the performances are miles apart in style and approach and indeed, on their own different terms, in merit. The Mozart work is ill-suited to the King's choir, whose very special abilities lie in other areas; and the direction seems to me to produce a performance without expressive vitality or even a commitment to the musical language of the Coronation Mass. The tempos are slow and the whole performance is oddly joyless. Even the usually admirable Margaret Marshall seems to be in hard and unsure voice. There are several superior versions in the catalogue, notably the Hogwood that I wrote about last month (L'Oiseau-Lyre).



		While this is a chapel-style performance by a smallish choir and orchestra, the Haydn Nelson Mass receives an uncompromisingly big performance from the London Symphony Chorus and the City of London Sinfonia, with vigorous and enthusiastic direction from Richard Hickox. He sets lively tempos—just once or twice he goes a little too far and it threatens to become coarse—and he carries off the large-scale fugal movements with a really splendid momentum, and indeed the symphonic ones no less. The solo team, too, could hardly be bettered: I enjoyed above all the natural and musical singing of Barbara Bonney, and Anthony Rolfe Johnson gives pleasure as always. The grand dramatic moments, such as the solemn fanfares at "Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini", want nothing in force, and Hickox catches too the noble gravity of the contemplative music. Those who prefer a more historic style of performance should, I think, choose the Gramophone Award-winning Pinnock recording (Archiv), the most pleasing version I can remember hearing of a Haydn Mass; but among larger-scale performances I cannot imagine this one being much improved upon.