Customer Reviews

Michael Haydn: Requiem; Missa in Honorem Sanctae Ursulae

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

 

 

This recent release is a double CD, although the total playing length is only around 83 minutes, with each Mass complete on one CD.

Michael, the younger brother of the great Josef, was highly regarded in his own time, especially for his choral music. Mozart, who did not tolerate fools, was a friend. Schubert made a pilgrimage to his grave when visiting Salzburg.

We have here two examples from some 30 Masses which Michael Haydn wrote. The first, composed in 1771, is a Requiem which bears some surface similarity to that which Mozart left incomplete at his death 20 years later. It's a fine work, especially the sombre opening movement. The Mass for St Ursula is from 1793, and perhaps more spectacular in its fugal writing.

The performances are outstanding. The brass tones are pleasantly pungent, the strings clearly articulated, the singing of chorus and principals magnificent. The pace never flags even when the writing is less than totally inspired.

One of the joys of the contemporary catalogue is the emergence of long neglected works by so called minor composers, especially of the classical era where the greater Haydn and Mozart are outnumbered countless times by names known only to the specialist. This release makes an important contribution in this direction, and anyone with an interest in post baroque choral music, or in the less travelled roads of the 18th century can buy with confidence.

I purchased this two CD set of Michael Haydn's works solely because of the previous review. The title of my review says it all. Based upon these works there is no reason why Michael Haydn should not enjoy the same acclaim as his famous brother. I like the Reqiem particularly. It is stirring and joyful. This set should be purchased by anyone who likes the religious music of Joseph Haydn and Mozart.

Michael Haydn lives in the titanic shadow cast by his elder sibling, Joseph. The life he lived, apparently, was a bit of a bohemian one -- Mozart's father disapproved of Wolfgang's friendship with the man.

One anecdote will suffice. Haydn, composer to the Archbishop-Elector of Salzburg (the same Archbishop with whom Mozart had his difficulties), owed his employer a set of string duos, for violin and viola. In bed, and very sick -- whether from a hangover or not is unclear -- Haydn told Mozart of his predicament. Mozart, for whom composing was simply a matter of tapping his bottomless keg of material, assisted his friend by producing the required set of duos. Not only that, Mozart made a point of imitating Haydn's style (even down to detail like use of appogiaturas).

However, a story like this tends to diminish the man's actual accomplishment. Apparently, his reputation as a composer of religious music was, in his own time, at least the equal of his brother's. This is a large claim, especially taken in light of J. Haydn's monumental series of 12 "name day" masses for the Esterhazys at the end of his career.

Here, though, that claim is more than vindicated. The "Gloria" movement in particular, from the "Sanctae Ursulae" mass, is probably the best single movement from the brothers' ouevre taken together. It begins with the main theme stated in unison by the lower orchestral voices and the entire chorus, a gesture of Tchaikovskian vastness, just sort of hanging there in space and glowing white-blue, like a great sparkly gem of a sun. This motive is threshed out in full symphonic manner through the rest of the movement, only to return once more, again proclaimed in enormous unison, at the conclusion. Both the theme, and its handling, are of unique quality and imagination.

Throughout both works, Michael demonstrates a suavity in his orchestration and symphonic conception which equals, and in at least one instance, surpasses, that of his brother.

I had previously known Michael Haydn only through a couple of symphonies, which did not particularly impress me. Why explore farther, when I had not yet gathered the riches of his brother's 104? But in the area of church music, Michael was thought by contemporaries to equal or surpass his brother for seriousness. On the evidence of this CD, that opinion is convincing. In his great Masses (and I have just finished performing the Nelson Mass), Franz Joseph by comparison seems to clamor for attention, displaying more ego and worldly ambition. Michael seems much less inclined to unseemly romping. The Gloria here is truly glorious, with a forward pressing 3/4 motion into a smooth fugue on Cum sancto. The Dona nobis happily does not end with a whallop (in defiance of the text) as all of Franz Joseph's do, and Mozart's too for that matter. As for the Requiem, the opening bars place one in the presence of an unmistakably great composer - inexorable striding bass, dissonant choral suspensions, plainsong with classical embroidery, odd harmonic twists. As the notes argue, Mozart certainly knew this music as he was writing his final work. These slightly uneven near masterpieces throw a new light on church music of the period. The performances are superb under the direction of Robert King, who, as many of us know, will not be around to conduct again for a good many years. Such a waste.

Ah,the sorrows of younger siblings,always in the shadow.
Famous Joseph Haydn had a younger brother who followed him out of choir school (he was supposed to be even better singer than already-celebrated Joseph) and later in Salzburg where he spent the rest of his life as Kapelmeister - he personally knew Mozart who was familiar and highly complimentary about his sacred music and two guys actually shared close friendship.
Two of the most important sacred works by Michael Haydn are presented here - Requiem dates from the time of death of not only his patron, archbishop Siegmund but also death of Haydn's first-born child,daughter Aloysia - outpouring of grief can clearly be heard in this work. The Mass was composed for occasion of composer's friend who was taking vows in the convent - both works are representative of Michael Haydn's art and it is truly worth checking him out because he was composer of considerable talent who lived close to other giants of classical music and somehow has fallen into obscurity through centuries.

The King's Consort under Robert King performs this music with respect and artists are obviously inspired, for me personally this was important because this was the first time I noticed wonderful Carolyn Sampson who soars above the clouds and she was reason for buying the whole album.