Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This is an easy collection to recommend. Yes, it is possible to make a case for other recordings but there is nothing else that is such good value. At the time of writing it is possible to buy this handsome box set for £30 and, let it be said, the performances on here are certainly more than adequate. Today Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) is viewed mainly in the light of his symphonies and string quartets, yet his first and last compositions were settings of the Latin Mass. As ever with Haydn these works are infused with the originality and sheer good humour that made him the most beloved composer of his generation. Haydn, like Bach, always sees the glory of the Resurrection beyond the sorrow of the Passion and his Masses are invariably both joyful and tuneful. Recording for this project started in 2001 with J Owen Burdick wielding the baton and was concluded under Jane Glover in 2008. Other personnel within the Choir of Trinity Church, New York, and the Rebel Baroque Orchestra changed during the process but the overall quality remains very high. All 13 of Haydn's complete and authenticated Masses are included as well as his early 'Stabat Mater' plus an informative 90-page booklet. Even if you own several different recordings of Haydn Masses, this is still an essential purchase.