Franz Joseph Haydn - Die Schöpfung (The Creation)

Published Saturday 7th April 2007
Franz Joseph Haydn - Die Schöpfung (The Creation)
Franz Joseph Haydn - Die Schöpfung (The Creation)
DVD

STYLE: Classical
RATING 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 23645-
LABEL: TDK DVWW-COCREA
FORMAT: DVD Music video
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This 1982 performance of 'Die Schöpfung' ('The Creation') constituted the high point of a Viennese festival celebrating the 250th anniversary of Haydn's birth. It took place in the Old Hall of the University, where, on 27th March 1808, the composer had appeared for the last time in public to attend a gala performance of this work under the direction of Antonio Salieri. Gustav Kuhn who conducts this 1982 performance took what was then an unusual step in using a reduced chorus of 38 singers from the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and an orchestra much closer in size to what would have been typical of Haydn's day rather than the 19th century massed choir and orchestra approach, which can add a certain grandeur but which can also drive out Haydn's subtleties in the pomp. This is a fine performance with the music coming to the fore rather than the soloists taking over. It is live and there are points where a second take may have been used in a studio but nothing that detracts from our enjoyment. We are in Austria and the singing is of course in German although subtitles are provided. There is also an introductory documentary that sets 'The Creation' into its context, again with subtitles but there are no other extras.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Reader Comments

Posted by Steven Whitehead in Buckinghamshire @ 17:49 on Mar 27 2011

This concert along with accompanying documentary has now been re-issued on the Arthaus label. The packaging is different but the content is unchanged and still well worth hearing.



Posted by Steven Whitehead in Buckinghamshire @ 14:08 on May 2 2007

We returned to this DVD as my wife had been asked to sing the soprano solos in a local concert. We listened to all The Creations we could find and it was this one she found most helpful for learning her part. Perhaps it was the fact that it is visual that helped but certainly the repeated viewings did not diminish our enjoyment.



The opinions expressed in the Reader Comments are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms.

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