Haydn: Missa in angustiis "Nelson Mass"; Te Deum

Anyway,to the matter at hand.From the ominous opening bars of the"Kyrie",with it's menacing trumpets and timpani,it's clear that we are in for a stormy musical sea-passage,and indeed the outer movements are as turbulent and anxious as anything Haydn wrote.In fact,the actual name of the mass i.e."Missa in Angustiis",or "Mass in straitened times" comes to seem singularly appropriate. Yet for all it's fury and flying spray,we do emerge at times into calmer waters,and I'm thinking especially of the "Qui tollis" section of the Gloria,where the bass is accompanied by some lovely scoring for the strings and organ.Then there is the emotional and gravitational centre of the whole piece,the "Et incarnatus" in the Credo.It takes the form of a quite gorgeous aria for the soprano (Felicity Lott on great form)and is my favourite section of the whole mass.It's followed by the tragic descent to the "et sepultus est",and here I must make mention of the glorious contribution of the English Concert choir.Their superb word-painting is a distinctive feature of this recording in general,but the heart-rending emotion they draw out of the "Crucifixus" is absolutely wonderful.My hat is off to you ladies and gentlemen should you ever pass this review in you travels

The "Benedictus" here is a world away from the serene,prayerful setting that you may have come to expect at this point in the proceedings,and it's interesting to compare this forceful and downright violent interpretation with the corresponding section in the "Heiligmesse".Talk about "chalk and cheese"! If you haven't heard the latter yet;then boy, are you in for a treat as it's one of the most exquisite creations in all music.

The "Agnus Dei" gives us a little respite and time to collect our shattered nerves before launching us once more into the crashing waves of the "Dona nobis pacem" which catagorically demands peace,rather than petitioning God for it on bended knee.But it is the only possible way Haydn could have concluded such an unsettling journey through the liturgy,and if we are cast ashore slightly battered and bruised by it all,at least we had the privilege of glimpsing true beauty in the midst of the tempest.

It was a brilliant notion of whoever chose the programme for this CD to conclude it with the marvellous "Te Deum".It has comparable sonorities and orchestration to the main item,but is much more celebratory as a whole,and gives our excellent choir a golden opportunity to bawl their lungs out in certain places! By the way,is it just me,or does the opening figure for the strings,sound just like the Jerome Moross score for the western,"The Big Country"? I've never heard any critic refer to it,but surely it has that same sweeping impetus that conjures up images of the praries and high Sierra.Perhaps it's entirely my imagination,but check it out for yourself and tell me I'm not crazy!