Bal 21.03.15 - Haydn: Missa in Angustiis (Nelson Mass)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

0930
Building a Library
Jeremy Summerly joins Andrew live to survey recordings of Haydn's Missa in Angustiis (Nelson Mass) and makes a personal recommendation. The piece was written in 1798 as Napoleon's victories threatened stability across Europe but was performed just after his defeat in the Battle of the Nile led by Admiral Nelson, a chance of timing which earned it its nickname. One of six masses written near the end of his life it's recognised as a masterwork in Haydn's liturgical compositional output.

Available versions:-

Kammerchor Stuttgart, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Frieder Bernius
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Trinity Choir & Rebel Baroque Orchestra, J. Owen Burdick
Berne Chamber Choir and Berne Chamber Orchestra, Jörg Ewald Dähler
Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Sir Colin Davis (download)
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia, Hungarian Radio Chorus, Bela Drahos
English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir, Sir John Eliot Gardiner
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Michael Gielen
Trinity Choir & REBEL Baroque Orchestra, J. Owen Burdick & Jane Glover
Concentus musicus Wien & Arnold Shoenberg Choir, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Collegium Musicum 90, Richard Hickox
London Symphony Chorus, City Of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox (download)
Tel-Aviv Philharmonic Choir & Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, István Kertész
Haydn Society Chorus, Orchestra of the Golden Age, Denis McCaldin
Rundfunkchor Leipzig & Staatskapelle Dresden, Sir Neville Marriner
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman
The English Concert, The English Concert Choir, Trevor Pinnock
Christ Church Cathedral Choir Oxford, Academy of Ancient Music, Simon Preston
Fiori Musicali, Penelope Rapson
Stuttgart Bach Collegium, Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Helmuth Rilling
The Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, The London Bach Orchestra, Barry Rose
Vienna Conservatory Chorus, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Jonathan Sternberg (download)
Tafelmusik, Tolzer Knabenchor, Bruno Weil
London Symphony Orchestra, Choir of King's College Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks (live)
London Symphony Orchestra, Choir of King’s College Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks
Chorvereinigung St. Augusting, Friedrich Wolf

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

To get the ball rolling -

I've only ever had the Kings'/Willcocks Argo/Decca recording, and it's so stunning that I've never had the urge to buy an alternative. It's one of those recordings I would put in the extraordinary category.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm getting lonely.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm getting lonely.

The "Nelson" Mass was the first piece of Classical Music that I ever performed in at school (Christmas 1971) - and the first time I'd ever heard of Haydn. The Willcocks recording was in the school collection, and for many years it was the only recording I knew of.

Nowadays, it's the Tafelmusik/Weil recording of this splendid, life-changing work that most appears in my CD player.

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm getting lonely.

But Jeremy won't be....

Jeremy Summerly joins Andrew live

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But Jeremy won't be....

I didn't see that. I just cut and paste from the Radio schedule. (Is that piracy?)

[underthecountertenor]

Pinnock's recording was my first, and, like you with the Willcocks EA, I've never felt the need for another. Thrilling recording with F.Lott on top form. I now have the Willcocks as well, courtesy of the Decca/Argo complete Haydn Masses box. It's good, but to me feels rather dusty next to the Pinnock. But Jeremy will no doubt gainsay me, and he is always a reliable and interesting guide, whether or not in conversation.

[vinteuil]

Nowadays, it's the Tafelmusik/Weil recording of this splendid, life-changing work that most appears in my CD player.

... yes, much the most appealing (to my ears).

But I also get great joy from the Richard Hickox / Coll: Musicum 90

[Beef Oven!]

JEG for me on this (last time I JEGGed about a choral work on this forum, people pointed at me and laughed )

[verismissimo]

JEG for me on this (last time I JEGGed about a choral work on this forum, people pointed at me and laughed )

[underthecountertenor]

I will certainly be interested to hear the JEG, Hickox and Weil recordings, as they are all in their different ways excellent in this sort of rep. It's about time I investigated other versions of this glorious work, so I am looking forward to tomorrow's BaL even more than usual.

[vinteuil]

I am looking forward to tomorrow's BaL even more than usual.

... sadly, tomorrow [14 March] it will be Carmen. But we shall have the Haydn the following week [21 March].

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... sadly, tomorrow [14 March] it will be Carmen. But we shall have the Haydn the following week [21 March].

Maybe I should delay starting new BaL threads for 24 hours to avid confusion?

[underthecountertenor]

You know what? I wasn't at all confused at first, knowing that it was Carmen tomorrow, but then managed to forget, and confuse myself. I think I need to lie down with a dry martini.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Mr utct - you got me all confused, as well - and I don't know how, or indeed, if it's possible to transfer a post to another (correct) thread....

Copy the post to the Carmen Thread and delete it from the Nelson one?