“Since God has given me a cheerful heart, He will forgive me for serving Him cheerfully.” – Joseph Haydn
Welcome back to Building a Classical Music Collection. We have arrived at #17 on the list of the top 50 classical recordings of all-time. I am going to cheat again by choosing two recordings of Haydn’s The Creation for just one spot in our list.
The first recording is a legendary one made between 1966 – 1969 by the Berlin Philharmonic with the Vienna Singverien conducted by Herbert von Karajan for the Deutsche Grammophon label.
The second recording is a 2007 Arhciv (Decca) label recording of Haydn’s The Creation performed by the Gabrieli Consort & Players, joined by the Chetham’s Chamber Choir, and conducted by Paul McCreesh.
The Composer
Joseph Haydn (b. 1732 – d. 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. Haydn represented the quintessential “Classical” period composer, and was the one mostly responsible for perfecting the sonata form. Sonata form is a type of composition in three sections (exposition, development, and recapitulation) in which two themes or subjects are explored according to set key relationships. It forms the basis for much of classical music, including the sonata, symphony, and concerto. Although Haydn did not invent the sonata form, he certainly refined it to perfection.
Haydn wrote hundreds of works for solo instruments, string quartet, and symphony orchestra. In fact, he was very prolific with the symphony form, composing at least 104 symphonies and fragments. He was also a composer of opera, although he never achieved the success with the form that his friend Mozart was to achieve. Eventually Haydn turned to composing oratorios and masses, and here we will be looking at his most famous oratorio, The Creation.
Haydn was an inexhaustible composer, mostly due to being employed for over 30 years as a court musician by the Esterhazy royal family in Austria. Although he did break new ground as a composer, his lasting impact was due to his gift for harmony, his sense of humor, and his sense of proportion and structure. Mozart was a friend and colleague, and Haydn also taught Beethoven for a short time. By 1790, Haydn became known as the most famous composer in the world (although Haydn himself would defer to Mozart for that distinction).
Some of Haydn’s most famous works in addition to The Creation include his 12 “London” symphonies, Sinfonia Concertante, Cello Concerto no. 1, Trumpet Concerto, “Nelson” Mass, The Seasons, and the String Quartets.
Like many composers pre-dating Beethoven, Haydn’s music fell into disfavor during the nineteenth century due to the influence of the Romantic movement. It was not until the Classical revival seen after World War I and an even larger renaissance for Classical and Baroque music after World War II that Haydn was re-established. For many years dismissed, Haydn was rediscovered as an innovative genius. You can hear in his works the feelings of optimism, rich harmonies, the distinct sense of order, and his gift for melody.
The Creation
Between the years of 1791 – 1795, Haydn visited London a number of times after being courted by the violinist and impresario Johann Peter Salomon. Presumably all Haydn had to do was create some music for the visits, make some public appearances, and return to Vienna. He would be paid well for the visits. At the time, London was certainly one of the musical capitals of the world, and the public eagerly anticipated the visits from Haydn. Dr. Charles Burney, a friend of composer George Frideric Handel, wrote some verses titled Verses on the Arrival of Haydn in England, which included such sentiments as:
HAYDN! Great Sovereign of the tuneful art!
Thy works alone supply an ample chart
Of all the mountains, seas, and fertile plains,
Within the compass of its wide domains, --
Is there an Artist of the present day
Untaught by thee to think, as well as play?
Whose head thy science has not well supplied?
Whose hand thy labors have not fortified?
The importance of Haydn’s time in England cannot be overstated in terms of the inspiration for The Creation. After attending performances of Handel’s oratorios Israel in Egypt and The Messiah, it occurred to Haydn that he should try his hand at composing his own oratorio. Near the end of his time in England, Hadyn received a libretto titled The Creation of the World by an unknown author. Although it was much too long to set to music, Haydn decided that the theme was possibly worth using for a new oratorio. The libretto, written in English, was based on three sources: the Book of Genesis, the Book of Psalms, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost.
When Haydn returned to Germany, he gave the libretto to friend, collaborator, and musician Baron Gottfried van Swieten. He asked Swieten to adapt the libretto and put it into a usable format, this time in German. Swieten obliged, and the resulting text was set to music by Haydn and became The Creation. The Creation (or Die Schopfung in German) was eventually published in both German and English in 1800, although the English translation was very poor and to this day provides a challenge to performers. The biblical text adheres closely to the King James Version of the bible. Today the piece is performed frequently in both languages, and there are excellent recordings to be found in both languages.
It took Haydn two years to compose The Creation. It is written for three vocal soloists but sometimes uses five (it was written for soprano, tenor, baritone/bass, with an incidental solo for alto in the final part). It is originally scored for a very large orchestra, and it is thought Haydn purposely wanted a big sound for the piece (as befits a subject such as creation). The public premiere took place on March 19, 1799 at the old Burgtheater in Vienna and it included an orchestra of 120 pieces, a chorus of 60, and the three soloists.
The structure of the piece is as follows:
Part I: Light, the Earth, the heavenly bodies, bodies of water, weather, and plant life.
Part II: The creation of sea creatures, birds, animals, and lastly, man.
Part III: The Garden of Eden, and the happy first hours of Adam and Eve.
The piece alternates recitatives with solo arias and choral pieces. Haydn’s use of “tone painting” is pronounced, and it is clear with many of the musical phrases he writes that he is using sounds and tones to symbolize certain events in creation, and he describes them with the music.
There was a great deal of excitement and anticipation for the premiere, and the work was received enthusiastically by the public. It went on to great acclaim, including at least 40 more productions during Haydn’s lifetime, and was soon played all over Europe and in America. The English version had its premiere in 1800 at the old Covent Garden in London.
The final performance during Haydn’s lifetime was in 1808. Haydn was very ill, and was brought into the theater carried on a chair. At the beginning of the piece when light broke out after the chaos, spontaneous applause began for the conductor. Haydn pointed towards the heavens and said, “Not from me! – everything comes from up there!”
The Creation is intended as an exclamation of praise and joy in God’s creation. It is consistently positive and uplifting, and has been loved by audiences for the last two centuries.
The recording(s):
There are many outstanding recordings of Haydn’s The Creation. It is difficult to choose one that is above the others. In fact, I haven’t chosen one but rather two.
The first is a traditional interpretation performed in German by the Berlin Philharmonic accompanied by the Vienna Singverein chorus, conducted by the ubiquitous conductor Herbert von Karajan. Recorded mostly in 1966, but not released until 1969, this is a larger-than-life performance with a full orchestra and chorus using modern instruments. What really raises this recording above others is the starry team of soloists:
Gundula Janowitz – Soprano (Gabriel, Eve)
Fritz Wunderlich – Tenor (Uriel)
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau – Baritone (Adam)
Walter Berry – Bass (Raphael)
Christa Ludwig – Alto (Im Schlusschor)
All in their prime, there is some exquisite singing on this recording. Perhaps most notable is the presence of Fritz Wunderlich, whose mellifluous voice is caught shortly before his tragic death in a fall down a staircase just before his 36th birthday. Wunderlich was an already established star, but still very early in his career, and he was scheduled to make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York later that same year. This was to be his last recording, as they were working on this recording when the accident happened. Fortunately for us, Wunderlich had completed recording all his arias. Walter Krenn substituted after Wunderlich’s death, singing the recitatives. Krenn’s voice has a fairly uncanny resemblance to Wunderlich.
Wunderlich’s lyrical and sweet tone is ideal for the first aria “Nun schwanden vor dem heiligen Strahle” (“Now before the sacred ray”), and later in Part II for the aria “Mit Wurd’ und Hoheit angetan” (“With dignity and nobility invested”). He certainly brings a heroic tone, and yet is also sensitive to the words and shading. For me, he possessed a voice of incomparable beauty, rarely encountered in the world of music. It should be said that Walter Krenn is outstanding too, especially in the trio “Zu dir, O Herr, blickt alles auf” (“All things, O Lord, look up to Thee”).
The famous Austrian soprano Gundula Janowitz, still only 30 years of age at the time of the recording, brings a brilliant and memorable performance. I have never been very fond of her voice and its rather steely timbre. But one cannot deny how impressively she sings on this recording, and she brings a celestial quality to both Gabriel and Eve. The duet with Adam in Part III, “Von deiner Gut, o Herr und Gott” (“Heaven and earth, O Lord and God”) is fabulous. She is also radiant in her earlier fiendishly difficult aria in Part I, “Nun beut die Flur das frische Grun” (Now verdure fills the meadows”).
The German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was one of the greatest baritone voices of his time, and in particular he was a renowned singer of German lieder. He also made a big mark in opera. Here in the role of Adam, he has a smaller part. His voice was distinctive, and there were often divided opinions on his characterizations. On this recording, Fischer-Dieskau is in total command and he brings to Adam an almost triumphant feeling with a large, warm tone.
The Vienna Singverein sing gloriously in their big choral numbers, including the famous “Die Himmel erzahlen die Ehre Gottes” (The heavens are telling the glory of God”), and “Vollendet ist das grosse werk” (“The great work is completed”) and the finale “Singt dem Herren, alle Stimmen” (“Let every voice sing unto the Lord”). The sound is hair raising and rousing. Triumphant.
I should admit I am generally not a fan of Herbert von Karajan’s recordings. He was a legendary conductor, primarily known for his long tenure with the Berlin Philharmonic, and for building that orchestra into the greatest in the world. He had the immense benefit of being a rising star at the same time recording technology made great advances, and Karajan took a huge interest in taking advantage of this by recording much of the standard repertoire of classical music, sometimes more than once. I find that sometimes he would strive for surface beauty rather than depth of interpretation, but this may just be a bias I have. There is no doubt Karajan revolutionized the classical music industry and brought millions of people to classical music. In this recording of The Creation, Karajan executes a grand vision, but that is entirely appropriate for the subject of creation. While Karajan was not known for his recordings of Haydn, here he directs a performance of joy, sensitivity, and beauty that stands with the best.
The other recording that must be placed alongside the Karajan is by the Gabrieli Consort & Players, joined by the Chetham’s Chamber Choir, and conducted by Paul McCreesh. The soloists are:
Sandrine Piau – Soprano (Gabriel)
Mark Padmore – Tenor (Uriel)
Neal Davies – Bass (Raphael)
Peter Harvey – Baritone (Adam)
Miah Persson – Soprano (Eve)
The soloists are superb, individually and collectively. The recording was made in 2007 in London’s Watford Hall. Watford Hall is one of the best recording venues in the world, and creates a warm yet detailed acoustic.
There are a few very important differences between the McCreesh and the Karajan recordings. The McCreesh version is sung in English, and thus we have represented here the finest versions in both languages. Also, the McCreesh version is on period instruments, and employs historically informed playing practices. What makes the McCreesh stand out from other period versions (some of which are listed at the end of this essay) is that he chooses to use large orchestral and choral forces, an orchestra of 113 members and a chorus of similar numbers. Most period recordings are about half that number, so what you get here is a big sound as befits the subject of The Creation. The choral numbers have a powerful impact, and climaxes are brilliant. McCreesh is very sensitive to the work’s mystery and dynamics - witness the slower than usual pace for the “Chaos” at the beginning with shattering timpani. Otherwise tempi are brisk but never rushed.
A few personal quibbles are that the lovely sounding soprano Sandrine Piau has less than perfect English pronunciation, which at times makes it difficult to make out her words. Also, the tenor Mark Padmore sounds strained with higher notes or when he tries to sing louder. This is a stark difference from Wunderlich on the other recording. However, in softer or more lyrical passages, Padmore is outstanding. His tender legato in his portrayal of the first woman is breathtakingly good.
Other highlights include: The trio near the end of Part II “On thee each living soul awaits” is sublime; Piau’s happy “With verdure clad” appropriately sounds like spring; Bass Neal Davies’ smooth tenderness in “the limpid brook” and in “Be fruitful all, and multiply”. For me, the duo of Peter Harvey and Miah Persson as Adam and Eve have never been bettered. Harvey is imaginative and flexible while retaining clarity, while Persson generates a beautiful and radiant tone throughout. Their duet “By thee with bliss” is poetic and poignant.
The forces of the Chetham’s Chamber Choir hardly sound like a chamber group, and the chorus parts are delivered with panache and power. “Awake the harp” definitely wakes you up, and “The heavens are telling” and “Praise the Lord, uplift your voices” are equally exhilarating. If the resonance of Watford Hall adds some marginal congestion in the loudest passages, the overall impact negates any drawbacks.
Other recommended recordings
· Haydn The Creation by the Handel and Haydn Society conducted Harry Christopers on the CORO label, a live 2015 recording from Symphony Hall, Boston. Sung in English, this recording is nearly the equal of the McCreesh with more transparent sound but somewhat less distinguished soloists. The choral parts are outstanding.
· Haydn Die Schopfung by the New York Philharmonic and the Camerata Singers conducted by Leonard Bernstein on Sony. Recorded in 1966, and sung in German, this version really brought the piece to American listeners. Bernstein had a special way with Haydn, and this recording has few of the personal idiosyncrasies of his later recordings. Modern instruments.
· Haydn Die Schopfung by the Capella Augustina and the VokalEnsemble Cologne conducted by Andreas Spering on the budget label Naxos. Recorded in 2003, this recording surprised and delighted the classical world when it was released because it far surpasses expectations and any assumptions made about practically unknown performers on a budget label. Sung in German with period instruments.
· Haydn Die Schopfung by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Eugen Jochum on the Philips label (now Decca). A bit of a sleeper version has excellent sound for its age (also from 1966), Jochum leads a traditional account on modern instruments and expertly judges tempi and effects. The soloists and chorus are very good.
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Notes:
All Music Guide to Classical Music, The Definitive Guide. All Media Guide. Pp. “Franz Josef Haydn” and “The Creation”. Backbeat Books, San Francisco. 2005.
Kemp, Lindsay. Haydn - The Creation. Handel and Haydn Society, Harry Christophers. 2015. CORO Liner Notes. Pp. 7-11.
Kluge, Andreas. Choral Works in the Spirit of the Enlightenment. Haydn’s Creation. The New York Philharmonic and Leonard Bernstein. 1966. Sony Classical Liner Notes. Pp. 15-19.
Kozinn, Allan. The New York Times Essential Library Classical Music, A Critic’s Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings. Pp. 81-83. Times Books. Henry Holt and Company. New York. 2004.
Schonberg, Harold C. The Lives of the Great Composers (Revised Edition). Pp. 79-93. W. W. Norton & Company, New York. 1981.
Wigmore, Richard. Haydn (The) Creation. Exciting, moving and wonderfully sung, this big band Creation is a triumph. Gramophone Magazine. 2008 review from gramophone.co.uk.