This historical-instrument reading of Haydn's oratorio Die Schöpfung, Hob. 21/2 (The Creation) is part of the "Haydn 2032" cycle of his works planned to conclude with the tricentennial of the composer's birth. In the case of Die Schöpfung, historically accurate performance should involve, not smaller forces than those in traditional readings, but rather an expansion: the performances of Haydn's two late oratorios were grand affairs featuring hundreds of musicians. Conductor Giovanni Antonini and the orchestra Il Giardino ...
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This historical-instrument reading of Haydn's oratorio Die Schöpfung, Hob. 21/2 (The Creation) is part of the "Haydn 2032" cycle of his works planned to conclude with the tricentennial of the composer's birth. In the case of Die Schöpfung, historically accurate performance should involve, not smaller forces than those in traditional readings, but rather an expansion: the performances of Haydn's two late oratorios were grand affairs featuring hundreds of musicians. Conductor Giovanni Antonini and the orchestra Il Giardino Armonico do not offer those dimensions, but their performance is acceptably full-blooded. The Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, with 45 singers, sounds larger, and Il Giardino Armonico bulks up to 41 players; the balance among the forces is good. Antonini's tempos are moderate, and in general, aside from a few odd scooping string attacks, he avoids the mannerisms that have divided listeners to his other recordings into pro and anti camps. The highlight here is the set of soloists, with...
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