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

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It is the Mass for Troubled Times!

Interesting that I hadn't noticed this until Calum pointed it out.

[Barbirollians]

Pinnock for me

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Pinnock for me

You do your own Pinnocking!

[Nick Armstrong]

You do your own Pinnocking!

[verismissimo]

A funny thing happened on the way to this BAL.

A couple of years ago I invested in a box with a dozen or so Haydn symphonies, mostly Sturm und Drang, played by Tafelmusik/Weil. I absolutely hated it. Sounded to me like computer-generated knitting machines.

Then, encouraged by ferney and others on these boards, I got myself a bit more open-minded and sent for their box of Haydn masses.

What a revelation they are. Magnificent, and particularly the Nelson. It'd win my BAL.

[MickyD]

Yes, the Weil recordings are great.

Oh no, I didn't realise that this BAL was going to be another one of those discussions between the reviewer and Andrew. I wish they wouldn't do it!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Oh no, I didn't realise that this BAL was going to be another one of those discussions between the reviewer and Andrew. I wish they wouldn't do it!

Well, the first ten minutes or so were quite effective in this format - much more so than I'd heard before: AMacG challenged JS on his opinions ("What do you mean by ... ") which could have been very helpful and productive. But it quickly deteriorated back into the "Yes, it is wonderful, isn't it?" time-wasting format.

[MickyD]

Doesn't look like Bruno Weil is even going to get a mention, which would be a great shame.

[Pulcinella]

Nor did Hickox, did he?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Nope - neither

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh no, I didn't realise that this BAL was going to be another one of those discussions between the reviewer and Andrew. I wish they wouldn't do it!

See e.g. #5 above...

Odd one - seemed to be an analysis of the three 'finalists' with some historical hits and misses thrown in for variety. I do like JS's enthusiasm and practical knowledge, and stress on his 'blind listening' lack of preconception (Harnoncourt - that sounded awful! ). But the 'live' padding of chat and repetition could have been better used to hear Weil, Hickox, Bernius...

[Dave2002]

Nope - neither

In fairness JS did mention blind listening. Do you really expect a reviewer who admits to this to mention all the recordings which were discarded? Possibly, though it would be easier to put the list on a website. It would depend how many recordings were listened to.

I am not sure that many other reviewers actually do such blind listening - some form of declaration of process in these BAL programmes might give more credibility to them.

[Nick Armstrong]

In fairness JS did mention blind listening. Do you really expect a reviewer who admits to this to mention all the recordings which were discarded?

Good point, Dave, thinking about it.

[Black Swan]

So I only heard the last 10 minutes. The big revelation to me is I don't have a recording of this work. I do Have the Heiligmesse and the Paukenmesse (Missa in Tempore Belli) by Gardiner.

So I am now faced with which one to buy. I have always loved the Paukenmesse after hearing Leonard Bernstein conduct the work in New York at the height of the Vietnam War. So do I continue purchasing Gardiner or the Rilling recommendation. I know there are allot of opinions so any suggestions other than buy them all... would be appreciated. I may try to listen to the replay. It is to bad I can't blank AMcG out but such is life.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Do you really expect a reviewer who admits to this to mention all the recordings which were discarded?

No - but I wouldn't hire any reviewer who "discarded" the Weil!

Less flippantly, I enjoyed this BaL for JS's enthusiasm and his keen ear for the score - and not just any old score, but the facsimile Manuscript - now that is one-upmanship taken to an Artform! But, like Cali, less of the chat might have given room for at least an illustration from the Weil - thus demonstrating its superb Musicianship.

Loved the Lennie version, by the way!

And loathed the Harnoncourt