Customer Reviews

Haydn: Die Schopfung (The Creation)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must admit an affinity toward Herbert von Karajan as a conductor, for despite the various iniquities attributed to his uncompromising personality, the guy was good. The brilliance of this recording probably has a little less to do with Karajan and a whole lot to do with the brilliance of the soloists. I've never heard Gundula Janowitz or Fritz Wunderlich before, so this recording is a revelation. The solo singing is absolutely brimming with youthful ardor. Every syllable is shaped with love. Add the BPO, a fine chorus, and Karajan, and you have a classic. I'm eager to hear some of the English language versions of this work. Haydn originally wanted to work with an English text derived from Milton & the Bible, but reverted to German because he was more comfortable with his own language. In English or German, I think "The Creation" certainly rivals Handel's "Messiah" in inspiration. I'm not one to go out of my way to listen to oratorios, but this music is exceptionally great. Haydn said he brimmed with joy every time he thought about God. Well, he sounds pretty happy here.

Though one might think his voluminous output would preserve Haydn at the fore of the Classical era, it has proven to be something of a liability. Some find it difficult to distinguish one piece from the next among his 100+ symphonies, and double-digit contributions to the string quartet, piano trio, and piano sonata repertory. It is unfortunate, as he made outstanding contributions to each of these genres.

Happily, one form in which his reputation remains unsurpassed is the oratorio. The Creation demonstrates that Haydn was no slave to form. If it were otherwise, how could he go about composing a musical "representation of chaos?" Apart from being uniformly lovely, all the arias, ensembles, and choruses demonstrate Haydn's ability to wed music to text. Listeners non-versant in German would find no shortage of musical clues as to plot, whether it be the creation of light or the birds and the bees. Die Schöpfung can be a dramatically and musically gripping experience.

Herbert von Karajan overachieves in this recording against considerable odds. It took several years to record all the tracks, and required managing the death and limited availability of several of the principal singers. The Berlin Philharmonic plays to perfection, displaying the individual talents of its members (most notably woodwinds) in sections where the orchestration is lighter.

That said, the singers deserve the most credit for launching this record into immortality. Gundula Janowitz is, in my opinion, one of the most unjustly underrated sopranos of all time. Her voice is a marvelous instrument, and she uses it brilliantly on this recording. Her arias and recitatives are nothing short of arresting, but are delivered with such fluidity as to seem effortless. Fritz Wunderlich, whose untimely death occasioned most of the logistical challenges facing Karajan on this recording, managed to record the most significant of Uriel's arias and ensemble pieces. His majesterial contributions are consistent show-stoppers. While I find his replacement in the minor recitatives, Werner Krenn, merely adequate, there is no appreciable continuity problem. The other soloists, the alto-par-excellence Christa Ludwig, the venerable Walter Berry, and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau round out this extraordinary cast.

This recording was remastered as part of DG's "The Originals" series, and admits of few limitations that might merit its rejection in favor of more recent entries.

This is a finely recorded, finely played, and finely sung account of a finely written masterpiece. It belongs on the shelf of any afficionado of classical music, no matter how modest his record collection. Buy it.

I must admit that I am not a Haydn fan. I've studied many of Haydn's symphonies with my music tutors for the British A level music scheme. I'm afraid I dislike them intensely. However, I certainly recognise the genius involved in their writing. Having taken part in a performance of excerpts of this work I've grown to like this work greatly. It is wonderful to hear so many first class artists. Gundula Janowitz shines as ever, especially as she is not pushed to the extremes of her voice. Wunderlich is particularly good, given that this was his last recording ( a fact I didn't not before reading the editorial comment). All in all this is a great buy, especially if, like me, you prefer such works in the original language.

I offer a slightly dissenting voice: I do not think that this performance is a 5-star winner. Yes, Wunderlich sings the arias exquisitely well. I find that Fisher-Dieskau has already become mannered in his singing. Yes, this is far better than Von Karajan's later digital version. No, this is not THE recording to have. At last not in my book (as a music historian and teacher). There are more than thirty complete recordings of "The Creation." Much good can be said of many, perhaps most of them. I recommend the following as the best of the lot:

John Eliot Gardiner's performance of the German version on "period" instruments -- superb in every regard, even if his soloists are lesser known.

Eugen Jochum's 1966 stereo recording with the Bavarian State Radio Orchestra and Chorus -- beautifully nuanced, deeply spiritual, and quite a bargain as a Philips Duo. Also the German version.

Rafael Kubelik's recording, also with the Bavarian musicians, on Orfeo. Warmth and clarity, strength and tenderness. Again the German version.

The original English version either by Christopher Hogwood or Robert Shaw, two very different yet equally effective performances.

Whichever version you choose, Haydn will lead you into the depths of Creation at every level of the word's meaning.

This stunning recording from Deutsche Grammophone is Karajan's greatest recording of Haydn's Creation (of the two he recorded). In his prime as a conductor, he is musically potent and does not succumb to his usual overly grandiose manner. The singers are doing a heck of a job in their solos and ensembles. Of particular interest is the renowned 40's and 50's German tenor Fritz Wunderlich as the angel Gabriel and as Adam. He is singing in his last studio recording before his tragic death of cancer. Soprano Gundula Janowitz sing with ravishing voice, lyrical and lush, the voice of an angel. Baritone Dietrich Fischer Dieskau is in his element. He totally fits the baritone part of the archangel Uriel- a big, dramatic but noble and beatiful, God-like voice. Dieskau is in his glorious prime and pulls out all the stops. Mezzo soprano star Christa Ludwig sings the role of Raphael, normally a part given to another tenor. But her dark lower register is enough to make her worthy of the role. Walter Barry is also featured in this recording and his baritone voice is also ingenious. The orchestra is colorful, bringing out all the mystery and religiousity without being overt. The opening Prelude, "Chaos" evokes the Big-Bang and the subsequent formation of suns, stars and planets!! The choruses are magnificent and well-trained. Each of these singes are German, or Austrian, and therefore know how to sing with native pride. For other superb recordings of Haydn's Creation, check out the recording with conductor Antal Dorati and starring the radiant soprano Lucia Popp and incredible baritone Kurt Moll.

Since no one has compared this studio recording from 1966 (patchwork being added up to 1969) with Karajan's live performance from Salzburg the year before, I thought I'd fill in the gap. This review is posted twice, both here and under the live recording, also on DG.

Sound: Both sets re in excellent sound, although only the studio one is in stereo. The Austrian Radio transcript from Salzburg in 1965 is clear, warm, and detailed mono. The orchestra is set further back than in the studio version, but the soloists often sound closer. In both cases the chorus was the large Vienna Singverein , and their enunciation is muddied compared to smaller choirs. No preference in this regard between live and studio. I did find the original pressing of the studio version a bit too bright and less open than the live broadcast, but that may have been corrected in the new "Originals" reissue.

Soloists: Gundula Janowitz is the ethereal soprano on both recordings and sings almost identically, although in the live recording she opens out to reach the audience, while in the studio she adds a bit more intimacy and nuance. (This is also true of the orchestra.) Fritz Wunderlich performs all the tenor arias and major ensembles in both versions( he died suddenly from a fall in Sept. 1966 before finishing all the recitatives, which are filled in for the studio recording by Werner Krenn). Wunderlich uses his plangent voice with more nuance in the studio, singing out more in the live performance, and I prefer that. The bass is Walter Berry in the studio recording, preferable to Kim Borg in the live one, although not by a huge margin. However, in the baritone role of Adam, the live Hermann Prey is considerably more lyrical and natural than Fishcer-Dieskau in the studio. Christa Ludwig on the studio version sings only one solo in the last chorus. The fact that the live soloists rank ahead of the studio may be a tipping point for some buyers--it was for me.

Conducting: Karajan specialized in this work, as witness his three recordings (I don't own his digital reading from 1982, generlaly acknowledged as inferior), and he could be uncannily consistent from year to year (for example, in both these performances the first big Adam and Eve duet takes 10 min., 1 sec., despite the year separating the two). Karajan took a classical approach to Haydn, preferring balance over excitement, control over spontaneity. In the style he chose, nobody since has excelled these recordings, but there is another way, as shown by Bernstein's two versions, particularly the unmatched drama and freshness of the first one from New York on Sony.

In the end, both of Karajan's Sixties readings are so close to each other, even down to sound and soloists, that there isn't much to choose. One might expect the live performance to be more exciting, but in fact that's a split decision as well--quite often Karajan finds a little extra more drama and momentum in the studio recording. I prefer the live account mostly to hear Wunderlich in better form and to have Prey in place of Fishcer-Dieskau. Others may feel exactly the opposite, of course.

I was at a concert here in Germany last night, and heard this amazing piece of music for the first time. I immediately went to the nearest CD store, and gave a listen to a few, and this one was by far my favorite. Von Karajan's version has endless energy, passion, and sensuousness that I didn't find in the other version I listened to (Berstein). The soloists, as well, are top of the line. Very highly recommended!

Karajan and company radiate affection in every bar of this glorious music. Despite the sophistication of the playing, the rustic, Germanic roots of Haydn's invention are not lost. The commitment of the singing erases any suspicions that this line-up of soloists is too high-powered. Janowitz sings with an innocent purity that is disarming and the male soloists make fervent contributions too. I can't comment on this latest remastering but the earlier "Galleria" reissue sounds marvellous. The orchestra glows in the spacious acoustic; the sound of the flutes, in particular, gives me great pleasure. The only possible reservation is that the choral focus is slightly less than ideal (a bit 'scattered' at times). No matter, consider this recording essential.

This recording brings all the finest voices of the twentieth century together with one of the finest conductors and orchestras.The sound quality is quite good, however, the overall intonation is quite sharp--a problem we used to have to deal with with LPS. That might also have made the tempi a bit faster than they were at the original performances. Aside from the pitch, the recording serves to remind us of the highest caliber of music making, just one step away from the German romanticist performers of the 19th century.

Moving, dramatic rendition of "Paradise Lost" transformed into choral work by van Swieten and Hadyn that has been appreciated over the years by audiences everywhere.

Here exhibited in one of essential recordings of this work by Berlin Philharmonic and Karajan supplemented by fine soloists and Viennese Choir make this a clean, exuberant effort.

The sensitivity to "Chaos" and the wide range of dynamics of this piece force utmost sensitivities from composer, performer and conductor. Especially appreciated the decision concerning death of Wunderlich and subsequent addition of Fischer-Dieskau.

Awe inspiring work of master performed magnificently and recorded with clarity.