COMPOSERS: Haydn
LABELS: Decca
WORKS: Il ritorno di Tobia; Die Schöpfung; Die Jahreszeiten; Salve regina
PERFORMER: Soloists; Brighton Festival Chorus, RPO/Antal Dorati
CATALOGUE NO: 458 325-2ADD Reissue (1977-80)
Like all Dorati’s Haydn recordings these made gramophone history, especially for the brilliant performance of Haydn’s earliest oratorio, Il ritorno di Tobia (here in the composer’s revised version of 1784) and for The Seasons, in which cuts in the instrumental introductions, especially that for ‘Winter’, were restored and recorded for the first time. The transfers – all three were originally issued on LP – are eminently successful, as might be expected from Decca. Dorati receives in The Creation stiff opposition from the celebrated Karajan recording with star soloists, and also from Gardiner’s almost equally star-studded period instrument set. But Dorati employs eminently sensible tempi and obtains a sure-handed musical touch that always seems totally ‘right’. A resounding success. HC Robbins Landon
Haydn: Il ritorno di Tobia; Die Schöpfung; Die Jahreszeiten; Salve regina
Like all Dorati’s Haydn recordings these made gramophone history, especially for the brilliant performance of Haydn’s earliest oratorio, Il ritorno di Tobia (here in the composer’s revised version of 1784) and for The Seasons, in which cuts in the instrumental introductions, especially that for ‘Winter’, were restored and recorded for the first time. The transfers – all three were originally issued on LP – are eminently successful, as might be expected from Decca.
Our rating
5
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:11 pm