Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

The Great Organ Mass of 1768/9 was among the earliest sacred works that Haydn wrote for the Esterházy court and includes an obbligato organ part that he himself probably played. On this recording the organist is the magnificently named Dongsok Shin who adorns the piece without overwhelming it. Nearly 30 years later, the Heiligmesse of 1796 was written just after Haydn's return to the court to serve the new Prince, Nicolaus II. Taking its nickname from the use of an old German Sanctus tune, the work gives a particularly prominent role to the chorus. In both Masses the Trinity Choir from New York City sing well throughout but need a few extra voices to give the more ecstatic sections such as the "et resurrexit" slightly more oomph, to use a little-known musical term. By this we do not want it to be louder - we have a volume control for that - but rather we would like it to have more power. But this is a minor quibble. We enjoyed both Masses and can say that the high standard set in volumes one to four (inclusive) is maintained in this addition to the series. Hand on heart, it might not be quite as good as the Hickox version on the Chandos label but it is certainly better value.

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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