Haydn The Creation
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Joseph Haydn
Label: Teldec (Warner Classics)
Magazine Review Date: 2/1997
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 115
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 2292-42682-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Die) Schöpfung |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
(Arnold) Schoenberg Choir Edita Gruberová, Soprano Josef Protschka, Tenor Joseph Haydn, Composer Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Conductor Robert Holl, Bass Vienna Symphony Orchestra |
Composer or Director: Joseph Haydn
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Magazine Review Date: 2/1997
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 117
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: 453 031-2GTA2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (Die) Schöpfung |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Bavarian Radio Chorus Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Joseph Haydn, Composer Judith Blegen, Soprano Kurt Moll, Bass Kurt Ollmann, Baritone Leonard Bernstein, Conductor Lucia Popp, Soprano Thomas Moser, Tenor |
Author:
I suppose we should not look to Gramophone reviews for the deathless sentence, but HF’s “In this Creation, the Sabbath cannot come too soon” deserves its assured immortality. She was referring to the Bernstein recording, now reissued at mid price which may make it marginally more acceptable but hardly changes its nature. To tell the truth, I found it rather better this time round, but that may have been because memory had exaggerated its defects. There are fine things (the first sunrise, for instance) but it presents Haydn-as-Beethoven, with an over-insistence of emphasis, a willed or too deliberately incited emotion, a thickening of the lines. Harnoncourt’s scaled-down performance, clear in detail, steady in beat, presents a marked contrast, and its style is surely preferable.
That was reviewed by HF too, but although finding much to admire she fairly obviously didn’t like it. Curiously, from her various grumbles she exempts the soloists, whereas for myself they (or at least two – in each version) constitute a major deterrent. Robert Holl, Harnoncourt’s bass, would be fine if the deep sonority of his voice were produced evenly. Here, for example, he gets as far as the fifth syllable of his opening solo without losing steadiness but then on the sixth (“Gott”) comes the characteristic lumpiness of vibration of which recording is so merciless in its exposure. Far better than Holl is Moll, who is Bernstein’s great asset, his soprano, Judith Blegen, suffering from shallow tone and being plagued by questionable intonation, while the tenor Thomas Moser is uningratiating and fundamentally uninteresting. Harnoncourt has Josef Protschka whom HF warmed to as “an Uriel glad to be alive and part of it all”. But no, part of it is what I wish he wasn’t, for his declamatory enthusiasm has a roughness about it and the baritonal quality lies inelegantly upon his music.
Even so, if a recommendation is required as between these two, choice inclines to Harnoncourt. Looking beyond, HF (in 1987) favoured Karajan with a glance towards Marriner. My own more recent preference is for Rilling, with a glance towards the future which I hope before too long will come up with a good version in English.'
That was reviewed by HF too, but although finding much to admire she fairly obviously didn’t like it. Curiously, from her various grumbles she exempts the soloists, whereas for myself they (or at least two – in each version) constitute a major deterrent. Robert Holl, Harnoncourt’s bass, would be fine if the deep sonority of his voice were produced evenly. Here, for example, he gets as far as the fifth syllable of his opening solo without losing steadiness but then on the sixth (“Gott”) comes the characteristic lumpiness of vibration of which recording is so merciless in its exposure. Far better than Holl is Moll, who is Bernstein’s great asset, his soprano, Judith Blegen, suffering from shallow tone and being plagued by questionable intonation, while the tenor Thomas Moser is uningratiating and fundamentally uninteresting. Harnoncourt has Josef Protschka whom HF warmed to as “an Uriel glad to be alive and part of it all”. But no, part of it is what I wish he wasn’t, for his declamatory enthusiasm has a roughness about it and the baritonal quality lies inelegantly upon his music.
Even so, if a recommendation is required as between these two, choice inclines to Harnoncourt. Looking beyond, HF (in 1987) favoured Karajan with a glance towards Marriner. My own more recent preference is for Rilling, with a glance towards the future which I hope before too long will come up with a good version in English.'
Haydn The Creation
Haydn (Die) Schöpfung
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