Haydn's Masses en masse

Abstract

greatly'. Handel reallocated this to the tenor, in the only important discrepancy from what has become the generally accepted norm; as Guadagni was still available, his specially composed arias stayed put, and are magnificently sung here by lestyn Davies. His 'But who may abide' evokes the refiner's fire vividly yet without exaggeration, his ornamentation is neat and appropriate but not gaudy, and, above all, he imbues the piece with a wonderful sense of trepidation, typical of a reading of the whole oratorio which has clearly been meticulously thought through with the aim of bringing out all the meaning in the text of every number, from the simplest secco recitative to the most spectacular aria or the grandest chorus. From 'Every valleys sense of urgent excitement to the awed expressiveness of 'Behold a virgin shall conceive', the fearful anticipation of looming darkness in 'The people that walked', and the clear and forthright proclamation to the shepherds, all culminating in 'Glory to Gods electrifying paean of joy, Part I unfolds in a way which brings out, far more fully than many more overtly theatrical interpretations succeed in doing, all the latent drama underpinning this essentially meditative work-a process which continues even more impressively as the sufferings of the Passion are preceded by resurrection and redemption. Perhaps such a remarkably satisfying result could only be achieved within a collegiate context (Davies is the only adult soloist who is not a former member of the choir), where singers and conductor have long experience of working together and fitting their respective contributions into a coherent musical whole. The choir