Harmonia Mundi: HMC901829/30

Haydn's The Seasons is a two-hour vocal work that praises God and nature and orchestrally imitates croaking frogs and lambs that gambol. It could easily seem slightly out of kilter with the times in which we live, but its proto-ecological message has perhaps never been more relevant, its sublimely fresh and vernal musical language a painful reminder of lost environmental innocence.

And this recording of the piece is notably successful in communicating that message. Beautifully conducted by René Jacobs, it offers elasticity of rhythm and a bright alfresco atmosphere. The three soloists have just the right plenitude of tone and timbre (as in Summer, their mellifluous hymn to the sun) while the RIAS Kammerchor's singing combines technical precision with a striking ease of utterance (the closing chorus of Spring is typical of their outstanding contribution).

This is a fresh and articulate Seasons for an era that most definitely needs it.

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0794881751624 HMC901829/30 Haydn - The Seasons (CD) Haydn: The Seasons Marlis Petersen (soprano), Werner Güra (tenor) & Dietrich Henschel (baritone) RIAS Kammerchor & Freiburger Barockorchester, René Jacobs “The work here sounds like a grand summing-up of Haydn's whole creative life… delivered in demonstration quality sound and with a pace and excitement which continue unabated until the final, uplifting 'Amen'.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2008 Gramophone Awards 2005 Record of the Year Finalist Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice - Awards Issue 2004 Building a Library First Choice - March 2008 Harmonia Mundi - HMC901829/30 (CD - 2 discs) £19.99 (£17.01 ex. VAT) In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day.

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