Customer Reviews

Vanhal: Missa Pastoralis in G major; Missa Solemnis in C major

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The Vanhal series by Naxos has clearly been successful enough for the label to churn out more of his work. And this release's artistic worth and merit is very high because it is a well-performed recording from a neglected repertoire aside from the works of Mozart and Haydn: sacred music of the classical era. Aside from the masses of Haydn and the vespers of Mozart, the sacred repetoire of the classical era is rather sparse compared to the Baroque era.

I first heard Vanhal on an LP of the Weller Quartet compilation called "Mozart's Quartet Party." Vanhal's music is clean and scrupulously elegant, as one can hear on the Naxos releases of the symphonies. It is good to know that this elegant ethic carries over into his masses. Yet his music does not have the "shallow elegant" Roccoco style from which some of J.C. Bach's music suffers, as fine and entertaining a composer as he is. Vanhal's masses reflect honest, unpretentious faith without being simplistic or amateurish.

Although the Baroque period's stars have grown more numerous that the Bach-Handel-Vivaldi triumvirate (Fasch, Albinoni, Charpentier, Zelenka, and Alessandro Scarlatti have received attention recently), the classical era has largely remained confined to Mozart and Haydn, with growing interst in CPE Bach (who is a remarkable composer in his own right). Although not posssessing the genius of Mozart and Haydn, Vanhal's genial style and warm outlook will provide a welcome addition to the classical period's circle of composers.

These two masses are highly interesting, enjoyable, and well written. Vanhal (1739-1813), a near contemporary of Haydn (1732-1809), does not reach the same exalted levels as Haydn's six late masses, but who does?! These works, composed in circa 1782 and 1778, predate the late Haydn masses by about 20 years, but are in a similar style. That is, very symphonic and forward-looking; you will not hear echoes of the Baroque in these masses. Vanhal even uses the very secular oboes and horns in these works. Conductor Uwe Grodd leads the period-instrument Aradia Ensemble in splendid performances that balance the orchestral and choral forces expertly. Grodd, who also conducted a disc of Vanhal symphonies for Naxos, has shown a definite affinity for this overlooked Bohemian composer. Highly recommended.

Having heard some of Vanhal's instrumental and symphonic music, especially the very good symphonies on Uwe Grodd's CD for Naxos, I knew him to be more than a workmanlike composer. The symphonies, for example, are head and shoulders above many of those in Naxos' 18th-century symphony series, though still a good head or more below those of Haydn and Mozart, of course. But these masses by Vanhal show him in the strongest possible light.

The Missa Pastoralis announces itself immediately as being in the pastoral mass tradition, with the Kyrie's lilting dance rhythm, choral echo effects, and drone figures in the strings. Some of its passages sound like the choral equivalent of Baroque Christmas concertos and sinfonias. The scoring is light, with sweet-sounding high trumpets giving the work a special aura. A true charmer.

The Missa Solemnis is a weightier work and one of real power. This is an exact contemporary of Mozart's famous "Coronation" Mass, but while the Mozart has prettier tunes, Vanhal's mass has more muscle and ingenuity. In fact, I'll take this Missa Solemnis any day over most of Mozart's too-operatic choral music. Vanhal can actually write a fugue that is both musically correct and emotionally fulfilling! And there are individualistic touches that show his great sensitivity to the text, such as the somber, inward music accorded the "Et expecto" section of the Credo. It has the effect of the traditional moment of silence, hat over breast, before the "Et vitam" sweeps all before it. If the quicksilver passage for obliggato organ and the sweet-natured violin solo of the Gloria don't leave you smiling, you took a wrong turn at the Varese bin!

Uwe Grodd is proving himself one of the most sensitive conductors in Naxos' fine stable of 18th-century specialists, and his performances here are no exception. His chorus and small orchestra are perfect partners as well. Of the mostly fine soloists, only the wobbly tenor is not quite up to snuff. A detailed recording with just the right church-like ambience completes a sterling package.

As a music teacher, I always find it interesting to ask students for the names of Classical composers - they have no trouble rattling off the names of Baroque and Romantic musicians, but when it comes to those from Mozart's time they get a little stuck. This is probably because so many composers from this period are virtually ignored these days - including Vanhal, who deserves a second look.

I'm a member of Voices New Zealand, the choir that sang on this recording. When we first sang through the music we wondered what on earth we'd struck - if choral singers might consider Haydn to be 'bad Mozart', then perhaps we thought of Vanhal as 'bad Haydn'. But this was not really very fair - the music did grow on us, despite some of the really cheesy semiquaver passages and totally unprepared-sounding cadences. There are some wonderfully reflective moments and the masses are indeed good examples of their ilk, as mentioned in other reviews for this recording.

If you find it takes your fancy, keep an eye out for another New Zealand collaboration which is due out in 2004 - Voices NZ (along with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and all-NZ soloists) has recently completed the debut recording of a mass and Te Deum by Hummel, which I believe will match (if not better) this album. You can guarantee that as more of this music is rediscovered, there is exciting stuff ahead!