Nikolaus Harnoncourt - Haydn: 4 Masses, Stabat Mater (2011)

What a marvellous treat to have this budget-priced six disc boxed set from Warner Classics. Here we have four of Haydn’s late masses and a selection of sacred music, including two works from Schubert, from a conductor with such eminent credentials as Nikolaus Harnoncourt. From my experience Harnoncourt, the period performance specialist, is one of those exceptional conductors whose performances always demand attention. The performances have all been issued previously on the Teldec Classics label. If I read the liner notes correctly the Paukenmesse on disc one and the three works on disc six were recorded live.

I have not studied these Haydn sacred works in detail for some years, not since I had my vinyl collection and it is good to revisit this selection of works once again. I no longer have my LPs but I have found my card index that lists the old vinyl copies of Haydn masses from my collection that I cut my teeth on: the Nelson Mass conducted by Leonard Bernstein on Columbia Masterworks; the Great Organ Mass; Missa Cellensis, Cäcilienmesse (St Cecilia Mass); Missa Sancti Nicolai (Nikolaimesse); Missa Brevis from Christopher Hogwood on L'Oiseau Lyre; Missa in tempore belli ‘Paukenmesse’ from Rafael Kubelik on Heliodor; the ‘Harmoniemesse’ under Leonard Bernstein on Columbia and from Janos Ferencsik on Hungaroton; the ‘Theresienmesse’ under Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden on Harmonia Mundi; Neville Marriner on Eterna and Leonard Bernstein on CBS. A prized collection was a box set of the ‘Paukenmesse’; ‘Heiligmesse’; ‘Nelson Mass’; ‘Theresienmesse’; ‘Creation Mass’ and the ‘Harmoniemesse’ under George Guest and David Willcocks on Decca Argo.

The complete Hoboken Haydn catalogue lists fourteen masses that he composed between 1749 to 1802. The first eight masses in the Hoboken catalogue were composed over a thirty-three year span and from the end of that period in 1782 with the Missa Cellensis (Mariazeller Messe) Haydn did not compose any more masses for fourteen years.

Throughout this Warner Classics six disc set one remains impressed with Harnoncourt’s tightly controlled direction of his magnificent forces, employing tempi that always feel appropriate. The sound quality is of a high standard as is the interesting and informative annotation. A valuable set of Haydn sacred music that is perfect for dipping in and out. -- Michael Cookson