Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809)
The Complete Masses
Full contents at foot of review
various performers
rec. various locations, 1966-2001.
DECCA COLLECTORS EDITION 4787828 [8 CDs: c. 546:00]
Haydn’s Masses form an extremely significant part of
his huge output, just as important as the symphonies and string quartets.
His very first work seems to have been the little Mass in F (on CD2 here),
and the last piece he completed was the great ‘Harmoniemesse’
(CD5). As with the symphonies, it is the final group that are the finest;
six major masterpieces, which show Haydn at his most creatively fertile. Indeed,
it seems clear that his London experience greatly enriched Haydn’s mass
composition in his late years; the approach is ‘symphonic’, often
with elements of sonata-form, and the orchestra is used with striking resourcefulness.
There is absolutely nothing formulaic in these works; he has clearly set about
each mass with a fresh mind and a fresh response to the text.
The earlier masses fall into two types; some are very short and straightforward
– the so-called ‘Little Organ Mass’ of 1778 is a good example
– though containing many passages of typical brilliance and beauty of
conception. The other type is represented by the wonderful Missa Cellensis,
more often known by its subtitle, Missa Sanctae Caeciliae, or simply
‘Cäcilienmesse’. This work of 1766 is a ‘missa solenne’,
or ‘solemn mass’, of which the best-known example is Bach’s
in B minor. Rather than being symphonic, the work has more the structure of
a cantata, with solo ‘arias’, some with instrumental obbligati,
and the text divided up quite markedly.
This box-set is described as ‘The Complete Masses’, and contains
thirteen such works; this needs a very slight caveat, as there are officially
fourteen masses listed in Haydn’s name. The early Mass in G, not included
here, has however had serious doubts expressed over its authenticity, so we’ll
let Decca off the hook. Especially as they have given us, for good measure,
the comparatively rarely heard Stabat Mater, the fine Te Deum
in C, and the short motet Insanae et vanae curae.
What of the performances? If we leave aside the Stabat Mater, whose
forces are entirely different, we have three conductors – Simon Preston,
George Guest and John Eliot Gardiner; three choirs – Christ Church Cathedral
Choir, Oxford, St. John’s College Choir, Cambridge and the Monteverdi
Choir; and three orchestras – the Academy of Ancient Music, the Academy
of St. Martin in the Fields and the English Baroque Soloists. As you can see,
the recordings are ‘well aged’, stretching from 1966 to 2001.
Along the way, we come across many of the finest British singers of the past
half century – April Cantelo, Helen Watts, Robert Tear, Martyn Hill,
Benjamin Luxon, just for starters. Another major delight is the organ playing
of Christopher Hogwood in some of the earlier masses, Stephen Cleobury in
the Schöpfungmesse and Brian Runnett in the Kleine Orgelmesse.
CD1 is enjoyable enough, but doesn’t really prepare you for the feast
which is to come; the little Missa Rorate coeli desuper (based on
an advent plainsong with that text) is a very early work, and rather perfunctory
in its setting. The balance of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir, too, whether
internally or because of the recording, is not as successful as elsewhere,
with men often too strong for the boys. However, Haydn had clearly already
developed that capacity to surprise and delight, and the final Agnus Dei
has a magically dark twist in its harmonies.
The contrastingly imposing Cäcilienmesse follows, and things start
to warm up, with splendid articulation from the choir in the Kyrie
fugue. That standard is maintained throughout, and there is some fine solo
singing, especially from alto Margaret Cable and tenor Martyn Hill. Some of
the instrumental playing, however, is a little under-characterised; the violin
passages, for example, in the splendid Qui tollis needs more expressive
shaping. As so often with Haydn, it’s the central part of the Credo
that brings the most interesting music. The text deals directly with the life
and death of Christ, and the composer always responds with moving and often
surprising music. Here, Martyn Hill gives a very beautiful account of the
Et incarnatus est, and the duet of Margaret Cable and David Thomas
does full justice to the Crucifixus. The Christchurch trebles, though
not always strong in tone, sing the Benedictus with sweet and refined tone;
generally this is an enjoyable rather than really gripping performance of
this splendid work. Richard Hickox’s version on Chaconne, with the Collegium
Musicum 90 and an outstanding team of soloists including Susan Gritton and
Mark Padmore, is far more compelling, and finds a level of power beyond that
of Preston and his musicians.
CD2 is a different kettle of fish, and on a far higher musical level. In fact,
I ask myself why Decca did not make this the first CD in the box, especially
as it begins with the lovely Missa Brevis in F, not only Haydn’s
first Mass, but also his first known composition. It receives a really gorgeous
performance, and the duetting of the two sopranos, Judith Nelson and the incomparable
Emma Kirkby, is a constant delight. Then comes the first of the great final
six masses to appear in the box. This is the penultimate one of the series,
the so-called Schöpfungmesse; this being translated means ‘Creation
Mass’, and, like so many Haydn nicknames, it arises from a curious but
relatively unimportant feature of the work. During its Gloria, Haydn
momentarily quotes from the final duet of his great oratorio The Creation
– ‘The dew –dropping morn, How she quickens all’,
introduced by a little fanfare on a pair of horns.
This masterpiece is given a rousing and full-hearted performance by George
Guest and his forces. The St. John’s College Choir were in a golden
period when this recording was made, and the trebles make a fantastic sound;
their high B flats in the Gloria (and elsewhere) are a complete joy.
Here is wonderful orchestral playing from The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields,
and great work from the top-class soloists, even if some of April Cantelo’s
articulation in the Et iterum venturus est during the Credo
is rather graceless. One clumsy edit apart (in the Benedictus), this
is a splendid account of the work.
The two pieces on CD3 are the Great Organ Mass in E flat, and the
Heiligmesse (‘Holy Mass’) in B flat, Haydn’s most
favoured key for mass composition; five of them are in this key. You might
ask “Why ‘Great’ organ mass and ‘Little’ organ
mass?”. Well, it’s nothing to do with the dimensions of the organ
in question. The former is a full-length mass, with quite a large orchestra,
while the latter is a missa brevis (short mass) scored for
just strings and continuo. Each has an important and florid solo organ part,
and for the ‘Great’ this solo is played exquisitely by Christopher
Hogwood. The sound of the work is enriched by the unusual inclusion of two
cors anglais, instruments quite rare in Haydn’s music. It is a delicious
and often quite quirky piece, and the Christ Church singers have some fun
with the outrageous dotted rhythms in the first part of the Gloria.
The Benedictus, with its organ obbligato and soaring solo vocal lines,
is particularly memorable.
The Grosse Orgelmesse was published in 1774, though probably composed
in the late 1760s; so there are something like thirty years between it and
the Heiligmesse of 1796. As I mentioned at the start, Haydn’s
method in these late masses was much more symphonic, with rigorous discussion
of fruitful musical material, though he still kept the major structural divisions
suggested by the text, as well as a liking for extended fugues to round off
the longer movements. This mass sees the first of the John Eliot Gardiner
recordings, bringing us deftly into another era of ‘period’ performance.
There is a crispness about the choral and instrumental tone, a sometimes brazen
clarity, and an energetic spring in the rhythms. This recording hails from
2001, and possesses all of those qualities we have come to expect from Gardiner.
It serves Haydn well, as do the four excellent soloists.
CD4 again mixes the two eras; Preston, Christ Church Choir, Academy of Ancient
Music for the Nikolaimesse, Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque
Soloists for the Theresienmesse. In the first of these, Preston and
his forces give a radiant version of one of the less well-known masses, which
is nonetheless a true masterpiece – one of Haydn’s most lovable
works. The boys sing with wonderful enthusiasm and panache, even if in one
or two places they do let themselves down by going a little over the top (if
that’s not a contradiction in terms) for example in the Sanctus.
The soloists’ quartet for the Crucifixus is one of the highlights
of the whole box – just exquisite, and getting every ounce of meaning
from Haydn’s extraordinary harmonies.
The Theresienmesse of 1799 is named after Maria Theresa, Empress
of Naples and Sicily; not to be confused with the Empress Maria Theresa of
Austria, whose grand-daughter she was. The eponymous Maria Theresa was a fine
soprano, who sang in private performances of The Creation and The
Seasons. Gardiner’s reading is full of things to enjoy; the Miserere
section of the Gloria movement is particularly powerful, ending with
some magical pianissimo singing by the Monteverdi Choir. Interesting too to
hear the superb singing of Gerald Finley, here at a relatively early stage
in his recording career.
On CD5, we get the Kleine Orgelmesse of 1777, and the Harmoniemesse,
Haydn’s final completed work. For these pieces, we are once more in
the hands of George Guest and his team, as on CD2. A particular joy of the
first is the playing of Brian Runnett, who luxuriates in the many solo moments
for the organ, drawing Elysian sounds from the St. John’s organ.
The performance of the Harmoniemesse is of a similar standard, with
strong contributions from all four distinguished soloists. I remember first
hearing this recording soon after it was released on LP, and finding the bustling
tempo for the Benedictus hilarious – quite irreverent. It’s
still as delightful, but we have grown more used to quick tempi in Haydn and
other Classical composers. The name Harmoniemesse refers to the fact
that the piece calls for a very full wind section (‘Harmonie’
is German for ‘wind band’ or ‘wind ensemble’), and
I can’t let the opportunity pass without complimenting the bassoon playing
– presumably Martin Gatt, but I’d need confirmation of that. The
piece is full of glorious bassoon solos, all played with consummate artistry.
CD6 brings us Gardiner again, with the late Paukenmesse, (‘Drumroll
Mass’), often known in the UK as Missa in tempore belli (‘Mass
in time of war’). This is a darkly powerful work, featuring ominous
timpani rumbles in the Agnus Dei. It is given a performance of the
same incisiveness as the others by this conductor and his performers. I should
say, however, that, splendid though this version is, I would not want to be
without the Hickox recording, in part because of its fascinating couplings
– extracts from Haydn’s incidental music to Alfred, King of
the Anglo-Saxons.
Before that we have the Mariazellermesse, the last of the earlier
group of masses, and, as David Threasher suggests in his concise but helpful
booklet notes, Haydn can be felt here looking forward to his later style,
in the rigour and power of his setting. There is another fine team of soloists,
and the disc is completed by the stormy motet Insanae et vanae curae,
directed by Gardiner in a rumbustious performance. Somebody should have told
Decca that there are no soloists in this last piece.
Which of the late Haydn Masses is the greatest? The answer tends to be ‘whichever
one you’re listening to at the time’. However the Nelson Mass,
really does stand out; it is such a powerful, uncompromising piece; Beethovenian
one might even say, except that its sternness is so often relieved by Haydn’s
irrepressible good humour. On CD7 here, John Eliot Gardiner goes for broke,
and moments such as the Kyrie’s recapitulation, where the choir’s
unison octaves are interpolated with soaring runs for the soprano, are hair-raisingly
thrilling. Donna Brown is very impressive here, though a bit too bumpy in
her phrasing of the Gloria. How like Haydn, after the deep sadness
of the major key ‘et sepultus est’ to take us into ‘Et
resurrexit’ in the minor key.
The supreme moment of drama comes towards the end of the Benedictus,
where the stately, if slightly gloomy, process of the music is suddenly interrupted
by implacable fanfares in trumpets and drums. Stunning, and it explains why
Haydn called it Missa in angustiis – ‘Mass in times of
stress’. The short but magnificent Te Deum in C is another
welcome bonus.
CD8 is an ‘extra’ if you like, but a valuable one, containing
as it does the quite rarely heard Stabat Mater. This is a fine and
quite early piece, and was one of the works that truly established Haydn internationally.
Funnily enough, the sombre mood of the Benedictus of the Nelson
Mass finds an adumbration here in the opening movement. The performance
would be worth hearing if only to catch the late lamented Anthony Rolfe Johnson
in mellifluous voice in the tenor part; the other three soloists are of matching
class. The London Chamber Choir sing superbly, and the so-called ‘Argo
Chamber Orchestra’ — actually the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
in disguise for contractual reasons — play stylishly. The scoring is
interesting; strings, sometimes muted, two oboes alternating cors anglais,
and organ continuo. Arguably, Stephen Darlington’s version on Griffin
(GCCD 4029) has a stronger sense of period performance, but Heltay’s
account completes this fine and rich collection in a very satisfactory way.
These masses are amongst the supreme achievements of choral music, and it
has to be said that the wonderful Hickox set on the Chandos Chaconne label
still leads the field. That said, this box really does have a lot going for
it; quite apart from the brilliance of many of the performances, the sheer
variety of approach, in every case entirely true to the spirit of the composer,
is enough to give it an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Gwyn Parry-Jones
Full Contents List
CD 1
Missa ‘Rorate coeli desuper’, Hob.XX11:3 [7:47]
Missa Cellensis in honorem Beatissimae Virginis Mariae, Hob.XX11:5
‘Missae Sanctae Caeciliae’ [67:43]
Judith Nelson (soprano), Margaret Cable (contralto), Martyn Hill (tenor),
David Thomas (bass), Christopher Hogwood (organ), Choir of Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxford, Academy of Ancient Music/Simon Preston
rec. 9-14 July 1979, St. Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London
CD 2
Missa Brevis, Hob.XXII:1 [14:05]
Judith Nelson (soprano), Margaret Cable (contralto), Martyn Hill (tenor),
David Thomas (bass), Christopher Hogwood (organ), Choir of Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxford, Academy of Ancient Music/Simon Preston
rec. 12-13 July 1977, St. Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London
Missa. Hob XXII:13 ‘Schöpfungmesse’ (‘Creation
Mass’) [45:51]
April Cantelo (soprano), Helen Watts (contralto), Robert Tear (tenor), Forbes
Robinson (bass), Stephen Cleobury (organ), Choir of St. John’s College,
Cambridge. Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/George Guest
rec. 1-3 August 1968, St. John’s College, Cambridge UK
CD 3
Missa in honorem Beatissimae Virginis Mariae, Hob. XXII:4, ‘Grosse
Orgelmesse’ (‘Great Organ Mass’) [38:57]
Judith Nelson (soprano), Carolyn Watkinson (contralto), Martyn Hill (tenor),
David Thomas (bass), Christopher Hogwood (organ), Choir of Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxford, Academy of Ancient Music/Simon Preston
rec. 4-6 July 1978, St. Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London
Missa Sancti Bernardi von Offida, Hob.XXII:10, ‘Heiligmesse’
[43:08]
Joanna Lunn (soprano), Sara Mingardo (contralto), Topi Lehtipuu (tenor), Brindley
Sherratt (bass), Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner
rec. 20-24 November 2001, The Colosseum, Watford, UK
CD 4
Missa Sancti Nicolai, Hob.XXII:6 ‘Nikolaimesse’ [27:50]
Judith Nelson (soprano), Shirley Minty (contralto), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor),
David Thomas (bass), Christopher Hogwood (organ), Choir of Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxford, Academy of Ancient Music/Simon Preston
rec. 12-13 July 1977, St. Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London
Missa Hob.XXII:12 ‘Theresienmesse’ [42:20]
Donna Brown (soprano), Sally Bruce-Payne (contralto), Peter Butterfield (tenor),
Gerald Finlay(bass), Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot
Gardiner
rec. 22-25 November 1997, The Colosseum, Watford, UK
CD 5
Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo, Hob.XXII:7
‘Kleine Orgelmesse’ (‘Little Organ mass’) [35:29]
rec. 27-28 July 1977 in St. John’s College, Cambridge UK
Missa, Hob.XXII:14 ‘Harmoniemesse’ [40:32]
Erna Spoorenberg (soprano), Helen Watts (contralto), Alexander Young (tenor),
Joseph Rouleau (bass)
rec. 4-5 August 1966, St. John’s College, Cambridge UK
CD 6
Missa Cellensis, Hob.XXII:8 ‘Mariezellermesse’ [35:29]
Jennifer Smith (soprano), Helen Watts (contralto), Robert Tear (tenor), Benjamin
Luxon (baritone) Brian Runnett (organ), Choir of St. John’s College,
Cambridge, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/George Guest
rec. 27-28 July 1977, St. John’s College, Cambridge, UK
Missa in tempore belli, Hob.XXII:9 ‘Paukenmesse’ [37:44]
Joanne Lunn (soprano), Sara Mingardo (contralto), Topi Lehtipuu (tenor), brindley
Sherratt (bass)
rec. 20-24 November 2001, The Colosseum, Watford, UK
Insanae et vanae curae [6:14]
rec. 20-24 November 2001, The Colosseum, Watford, UK
CD 7
Missa in angustiis, Hob.XXII:11 ‘Nelsonmesse’ [38:55]
Donna Brown (soprano), Sally Bruce-Payne (contralto), Peter Butterfield (tenor),
Gerald Finlay (bass)
rec. 22-25 November 1997, The Colosseum, Watford, UK
Te Deum in C, Hob.XXIIc:2 ed. H.C. Robbins Landon [8:03]
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner
rec. 20-24 November 2001 at The Colosseum, Watford, UK
CD 8
Stabat Mater, Hob.XXbis [66:07]
Arleen Auger (soprano), Alfreda Hodgson (contralto), Anthony Rolfe Johnson
(tenor), Gwynne Howell (bass), John Birch (continuo), London Chamber Choir,
Argo Chamber Orchestra/László Heltay
rec. 21-24 February 1979, St. Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London
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