Search - New York Philharmonic :: The Royal Edition Vol. 36 of 100: Haydn: The Creation / Harmoniemesse

Haydn Via Bernstein

Erik North | San Gabriel, CA USA | 06/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Franz Joseph Haydn's efforts in the symphonic field have sometimes tended to obscure what he achieved in the field of sacred and choral music, which in itself was considerable. This can be accurately gauged on this 2-CD recording by Leonard Bernstein (no stanger to Haydn, he) and the New York Philharmonic of two of Haydn's greatest achievements in the sacred/choral arena.



The first of these is his monumental 105 minute-long oratorio "The Creation", a work that took two years out of his life (1796-1798) and which was his way (along with its companion "The Seasons", composed two years later) to continue the oratorio tradition of Handel. Sung totally in German, the oratorio is about nothing less than the Biblical creation, and is one of Haydn's most elaborate and challenging pieces. The second is the composer's 14th and last, and perhaps most popular, setting of the Latin Mass. Known as the "Harmoniemesse" because of its extensive use of wind instrumentation, and in the key of B Flat Major, this 45 minute-long setting, composed in 1802, is Haydn at his most grandiose later-era peak, and he points the way to the later settings of the Mass by his successors Beethoven and Schubert.



Bernstein gets the most out of each of these works. "The Creation" is the earlier recording, made in the 1960s with a fine quintet of vocal soloists, the New York Philharmonic, and the Camerata Singers, and is indeed a tremendous performance, as has been duly noted here. Even more impressive, however, is Bernstein's handling of the "Harmoniemesse", recorded in late 1976 (one of his last for CBS/Sony before switching over to Deutsche Grammophon for the bulk of the rest of his recordings). Bleggen, Estes, Riegel, and Von Stade handle the rigours of this piece with extreme aplomb, as does the Westminster Symphonic Choir (under Joseph Flummerfelt's watch), and the virtuosity of Bernstein and his New York Philharmonic is very much in evidence here.



Vigorously recommended for those who like choral and sacred music in general, and Haydn's ventures into that arena in particular."

An experience like no other

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 09/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As much as he revitalized Mahler for a new generation, Bernstein blew through Haydn like a wind of fire, changing the old, dainty way of conducting him, or even the boisterous Beecham way, into something much more alive and dynamic. Later on, his Haydn got draggy, but this Creation shows off the ideal Haydn performance. All the singing is in the spirit of Bernstein's overwhelming joy, which matches Haydn's. I love other versions for their greater finesse, but this is the Creation I return to for its supreme inner life."