Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Franz Schubert's place in the pantheon of classical composers is assured although his secular works are generally held in higher regard than his spiritual ones. He was a boy chorister until his voice broke and wrote several Mass settings. On this very reasonably priced disc we have three, his Mass No. 2 in G major, Mass No. 4 in C major, and the Deutsche Messe. Number 2 was written in 1815 and Number 4 the following year when the composer was still in his teens. Both show an awareness of Mozart's religious works although both have typical Schubertian touches such as his dramatic use of key relationships and contrasting vocal textures to bring out the depths within the Latin texts. The German Mass is somewhat different containing as it does unassuming yet heartfelt settings of congregational hymns for performance during the service. The Leipziger Kammerorchester play well and the Immortal Bach Ensemble generally equal them in the vocal department although some of the top notes seemed strained to these ears. However this criticism cannot be made against the solo soprano, Claudia Reinhard, as she sounds splendid throughout. In all, this is a pleasant recording and excellent value for money although not representing Schubert at his very best.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.