This disc from nearly 50 years ago is an excellent example. In it, the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and the Academy of Ancient Music join with distinguished soloists in two of Haydn's settings of the Mass. Simon Preston (1938-2022) is the conductor.
| Simon Preston |
Here is Eric Salzman in Stereo Review about Haydn's sacred music: "Haydn's church work is like his other music, which is to say charming. witty, entertaining, always attractive, never boring. Isn't it just as well to praise God with wit, technique, and beauty as with some forced re-creation of antique piety? That, at least, was the sentiment of the age.
"The enchanting Missa Sancti Nicolai, written in 1772, has a kind of pastoral, Christmasy quality undoubtedly connected with its date and circumstances. December 6 was consecrated to St. Nicholas, and it was thus the name-day of Haydn's patron, Prince Nicholas Esterházy; Haydn composed the Missa Sancti Nicolai as a birthday surprise."
| Joseph Haydn |
Here is what the same critic had to say about the other work on the program: "The Missa brevis was a response to the impatience of an elegant and intellectual age with the tedium of the required church services. An abbreviated text, good fast tempos, even doubling up on the words - different portions of the text simultaneously in different parts! - all helped to cut a two- or two-and-a-half-hour service to a neat thirty minutes. The master of the Missa brevis was undoubtedly Joseph Haydn. Haydn could set the age-old Catholic texts in the most elegant, gracious rococo curlicues or classical symmetries without the slightest sense of disrespect."
As the for the performances, back then people were still getting used to the sound of period instruments. Salzman had no problem with them - but was not so sure about the singing: "The Academy of Ancient Music ... produces a mellow sound quite distinct from that of modern orchestras. The singing here also has a rounded, blended tone of great sweetness and beauty, though I would prefer a little less tastefulness and a little more bite. The soloists, especially, sound too restrained and well-behaved: modern High Church Anglican singers rather than the Italian opera singers who actually performed this music with Haydn." Wonder how he knew what 18th century singers sounded like.
| Judith Nelson and Emma Kirby at the recording session |
In fact, soprano soloists Judith Nelson (1939-2012) and Emma Kirkby (b. 1949) - not to mention the choir - are almost literally angelic. Roger Fiske in The Gramophone wrote: "[T]he two soloists really do contrive to sound like idealized choristers rather than sophisticated lady sopranos. In other words they sing without any vibrato, which is how the strings play, and it all adds up to a completely convincing performance of style and charm ... Both performances are of the highest class and with such happy music (most of it at least sounds happy) the effect is irresistible."
It remains to be said that the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral is excellent. Finally, Christopher Hogwood, who directed the Messiah performance mentioned above, is heard here as an an accompanist on the chamber organ in the Missa brevis. Simon Preston was the choir director for his Messiah recording.
| The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral with its current director, Peter Holder |