Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19773 in Music
• Released on: 2009-10-19
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Dimensions: .60 pounds
• Running time: 101 minutes

Customer Reviews

An enriching and celebratory account of Haydn's late masterpiece
It's been a five year wait for this release - since Jacobs' (2004) Gramophone winning release of Haydn's Seasons - and this set is every bit as good! Not only are we treated to a fresh-sounding team of soloists, all highly idiomatic in German, we again have the RIAS Kammerchor, probably one of the finest choirs in German choral repertoire today (yes, they even beat the Monteverdi Choir!), the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, producing some of the richest sounds I have heard in this work and a beautifully balanced recording to put it all in perspective. What a pleasure it is to hear the words of the text so clearly articulated as here by both chorus and soloists and how gloriously the Freiburgers' brass glows throughout (just listen to their magnificent playing in the opening illustration of light). And then there is the conductor himself: Jacobs insures, much as he did in his Seasons, that Haydn's scene painting effects are heard to brilliant effect. To this end he brings in a wonderfully playful pianoforte continuo (excellent in conjuring up moments like the heavenly harps). Don't be put off by Gramophone's (November, 2009) gripey verdict of this as a "controversial" version. Lets not forget that Haydn, even in his old age, had a wonderful sense of humour (take one of his piano sonatas for instance)! The continuo is tastefully done and fully complements the playfulness contained within the score itself. This, by Jacobs own admission, is meant to be a celebratory account of Haydn's vision, not one of Victorian reverence!

The result of all of the above is that one registers sounds not usually heard even in period versions. In comparison with other period versions (e.g. Christie, Gardiner) this version really does stand out. I never particularly liked Gardiner's version with its strangely uninvolving sound and what Gramophone called, Sylvia McNair's "wilting violet" tone whose completely inept German spoiled the set for me. The other English soloists are adequate but rather pale-sounding. Christie's, by contrast, is well recorded and he has an imposing Raphael in Dietrich Henschel and a colourful Gabriel (Genia Kühmeier). However, the tenor (Toby Spence) does sound somewhat strained, at least initially anyway. But while Christie's is a pleasant, intimate sounding version, certainty more colourful and preferable to Gardiner's, by comparison with Jacobs, his chorus is less idiomatic and his soloists, overall, less satisfying.

If you can, try to purchase the version that comes with the bonus DVD (included as an extra in a paper sleeve). It features a short 20-or-so minute "making of" documentary. Full marks to Harmonia Mundi for the lavish packaging and booklet (with informative essays and translations). There are no gimmicks or shortcuts here.