While Johann Baptist Vanhal’s eminence among Viennese composers of the classical period has always ensured a steady trickle of recordings of his music, interest has so far focused almost entirely on his symphonies and chamber works. He also produced a substantial number of sacred vocal compositions, however, among them no fewer than 60 Masses, over twice as many as Haydn and Mozart together. The two Masses recorded here (both for the first time, claim Naxos) are only a start at getting to grips with this output, but a welcome one nevertheless.
Both are thoroughly well-composed pieces lasting a little over half an hour and showing the Austrian stylistic traits familiar from Haydn’s Masses: bright and vigorously declamatory choral writing over busy string passagework, leavened by occasional excursions into unisons or counterpoint; vocal solos, though not of the virtuosic type; and a due solemnity for certain key passages such as ‘Et incarnatus est’ or ‘Qui tollis peccata mundi’. The Missa pastoralis adds to this a few rustic cliches, mainly in the form of drone basses (though Vanhal, a peasant’s son, could at least lay more claim to authenticity here than many of his counterparts), while the more wide-ranging Missa solemnis includes unexpected busy solos for violin and organ, an attractive ‘Benedictus’ duet for soprano and alto, and a fine concluding fugue.
The performances by combined forces from Canada and New Zealand serve this music well. Uwe Grodd chooses his tempos wisely and finds the right mood for each section, be it uplifting or sombre, sunny or dark, to which his choir and period-instrument orchestra respond willingly and competently. There are minor moments of raggedness from the choir (highlighted by their closeness to the microphones), and in general the vocal sound from both soloists and choir is a little lacking in lustre, but it does not do to complain too much – better that they get on and do some more