Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

While Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the towering figures of classical music he is not a frequent guest on the pages of Cross Rhythms as he wrote relatively little explicitly Christian music. However he had to eat and it was inevitable that he would write for the church even if not as frequently as some of the other greats. He composed two masses: the 'Mass in C major' of 1807 for Haydn's patron, Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy and then the 'Missa Solemnis' (opus 123) of 1819-1823. Whatever the state of Beethoven's soul in this composition he reaches both the heights and depths of Christian faith and any listener with any sort of interest in the classical repertoire in general and church music in particular cannot afford to ignore Beethoven's 'Missa Solemnis'. On this recording the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century continues its music-making Grand Tour, very much in the spirit of its late founder Frans Brüggen, with specially invited conductors. In order to tackle Beethoven's mighty 'Missa Solemnis', the orchestra teamed up with Daniel Reuss, who has recorded a number of critically-acclaimed choral masterpieces, many of them with Cappella Amsterdam and some reviewed elsewhere on this site. This fine Dutch choir has all the right skills to climb this glorious mountain of a work; notably vocal agility and stamina. The chorus is joined by an outstanding quartet of soloists in Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Marianne Beate Kielland (alto), Thomas Walker (tenor) and David Wilson-Johnson (bass). All are stars in their own right and in combination they shine even brighter. The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century has significant experience performing the music of Beethoven on period instruments, all the more necessary with such a demanding work. This recording comes with an elegant essay from Bas van Putten, as well as a fascinating series of images captured by photographer and violinist Annelies van der Vegt, taken across The Netherlands during the course of the orchestra's tour with the 'Missa Solemnis'. My preferred CD Guide recommends six recordings of this masterpiece and I have no doubt whatsoever that this one will join the recommended list in its next edition. If the 'Missa Solemnis' is new to you then this is a recommended recording and if you are a more experienced Beethoven aficionado you should give serious consideration to adding this rendition to your collection.

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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