Reviewed by Steven Whitehead When Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was asked by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to compose the inaugural work for the opening of The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, he turned to the text of the Roman Mass and then set about turning it into "a theatre piece for singers, players and dancers". Additional words were supplied by the composer and also Stephen Schwartz of Godspell fame, which firmly places the work in its context. If the organisers of Woodstock had decided to put on a Mass, this is what it would have sounded like. When it was premiered in September 1971 it must have caused jaws to drop. Today, what was then avant-garde now sounds clichéd but this is inevitable with any work of art. The forces needed to present this show are formidable. On this CD we have (deep breath) the American baritone Jubilant Sykes as the Celebrant, boy soprano Asher Edward Wulfman, the Morgan State University Choir directed by Dr Eric Conway, the Peabody Children's Chorus directed by Doreen Falby, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, plus a cast of Street People and sundry tape effects, all under the baton of one of Bernstein's pupils, Marin Alsop. But what does it sound like? In parts, a noise - but a joyful noise. The only comparison I can come up with is William Bolcom's setting of Blake's 'Songs Of Innocence And Experience' but that probably does not help. Parts now sound so dated as to be silly but there are also passages of great power and passion and Jubilant Sykes has the perfect voice and range to carry the weight of the performance. I have deliberately used words like "show" and "performance" for that is what this work is. I cannot imagine it ever being used as worship although some sections could be extracted and used for that purpose. Perhaps this version cannot compare with Bernstein's own recording of the work on CBS but as this one is on Naxos it is offered at a bargain price.
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An update: this recording was made a 'Gramophone' Editor's Choice at the Classic FM awards in October 2010.