Haydn’s late masterpiece,
The Creation/Die Schöpfung
has always existed in two versions,
one in English and one in German. Loosely
based on Milton’s Paradise Lost
version of the creation story, the libretto
had actually been offered to Handel,
who never got around to setting it.
Johann Salomon, the impresario, passed
it to Haydn in 1794. Haydn was interested
but apparently did not feel confident
enough in his English to set the work
in its original format. Back in Vienna
he consulted Baron Gottfried van Swieten,
Mozart’s friend and one of Vienna’s
most knowledgeable musical personalities.
He offered to translate the libretto
into German, recognising that "this
noble subject would provide Haydn with
an opportunity to give expression to
his inexhaustible genius", and
it was this German version which Haydn
then set, the whole being translated
back into English on completion. It
sounds an unwieldy way of creating a
great work, but the result was a singularly
effective pair of settings each of equal
value in primogeniture. Although the
English version is probably the better
known today, the German version has
a resonance with Haydn’s Viennese musical
style that sits happily in the context
of his music. Although The Creation
was partly written in response to Haydn’s
great admiration for the music of Handel,
it is no simple attempt to copy the
Handelian style, although much of the
splendid effect is similar.
This Apex recording
of the Vienna Symphony and Arnold
Schoenberg Choir under Harnoncourt is
allegedly taken from a live performance.
Harnoncourt records frequently in live
concert situations and the energy of
live performance is apparent throughout
the recording. However, the booklet
note gives a confusing picture, implying
that the recording was made in 1998
and 1986 as well as in the Rheingau
Music Festival and in Vienna’s Konzerthaus.
What the actual provenance is, is somewhat
hard to tell. There are other annoying
errors in the booklet – for example,
the continuo is noted as being played
a.o. by Herbert Tachezi at the harpsichord,
and yet continuo throughout is provided
by a fortepiano. These are irritating
little errors for those who enjoy the
background information to a recording,
and so easily corrected by a bit of
proper proofreading.
On the other hand,
the super budget price of Apex releases
does have to be taken into consideration,
so perhaps we can forgive them if the
performance and the recording are good.
Fortunately for Apex they are on to
a winner with the performers. The combination
of Vienna Symphony and fortepiano continuo
mentioned above may seem odd, but under
Harnoncourt the VSO sound just as delicate
and colourful as any period instrument
band, with the added advantage of fabulous
blend in the strings and perfect intonation,
even in the wind and brass. To listen
to the gently undulating strings and
pulsing winds under the glorious Adam
and Eve duet Von diener Güt’,
o Herr und Gott / Heaven and earth,
O Lord our God one can hear the
impact that Harnoncourt’s long work
with the Vienna Concentus Musicus has
had on his approach to handling the
VSO. There is no sense of the great
bulk of rich sound that characterises
the orchestra in Bruckner. This shows
a truly versatile band. In the same
way the almost outlandish double bassoon
honk illustrating the ‘weight of beasts’
in Raphael’s Part II aria Nun scheint
in vollem Glanze der Himmel / Now the
heavens shine in all their glory
smacks of the period instrument bands’
obsession with extremities of musical
thought and depiction, and is equally
effective.
The chorus is the redoubtable
Arnold Schoenberg Choir of Vienna, a
group that has recorded frequently under
Harnoncourt. Diction is tight throughout,
the balance with the orchestra is excellent
and the choir is able not only to shine
forth in the frequently blazing choruses
but can also make a true pianissimo;
no mean feat for even the best of choirs.
The acid test here is always in the
first chorus Und der Geist Gottes
/ And the Spirit of God which depicts
the Lord moving over the face of the
waters, in the most sublime controlled
pianissimo before bursting into
a blaze of C major saying "Let
there be light". The light is only
truly dramatic if the darkness has been
deep. Harnoncourt’s forces pull it off
splendidly.
The soloists are also
very fine. The bulk of the work falls
to the soprano and bass, taking two
roles each. Edita Gruberova has the
right blend of clarity and richness
to suit the sometimes rather operatic,
but always tasteful, nature of Haydn’s
writing. She is well balanced by Robert
Holl as Adam and Raphael and their duets
in Part III form a definite highlight.
The recorded sound is good throughout,
with soloists, chorus and orchestra
well balanced in the mix. The engineers
have generally managed to prevent the
chorus from sounding too distant – a
frequent problem when the orchestra
is so large – and there is a welcome
absence of audience noise. So much so,
that one wonders slightly about the
true nature of the ‘live’ recording
mentioned as one of the possibilities
in the booklet.
There is a good argument
to be made for owning The Creation twice,
once in English and once in German.
As an option for the German language
version Harnoncourt’s reading has the
balance of cleanliness, style and charm
about right, as well as providing an
abundance of brilliant moments. The
VSO in this sort of form is as good
as any classical band you will hear,
the soloists are not only excellent,
but also consistent with it, and the
price advantage is not to be denied.
All in all it makes this release a good
value package.
Peter Wells
see alternmative English
Language verion
Franz
Josef HAYDN (1732-1809)
Die Schöpfung
(The Creation) (1798) An
Oratorio in three parts for Soloists,
Chorus and Orchestra 
Teresa Seidl, soprano (Gabriel,
Eva) Algirdas Janutas, tenor (Uriel)
Benno Schollum, bass (Rafael, Adam)
Kaunas State Choir Lithuanian Chamber
Orchestra/Yehudi Menuhin Recorded live
at the Rheingau Music Festival, 11 July
1998. [DDD]
WARNER APEX 2564 60714-2 [55:44
+ 48:19]
