Haydn Stabat Mater Birgitte Christensen (soprano), Kristina Hammarström (mezzo-soprano), Steve Davislim (tenor), Christian Immler (bass); Zürcher Sing-Akademie; Basel Chamber Orchestra/René Jacobs Pentatone PTC 5186 953 61:29 mins
Haydn composed his setting of the Stabat Mater in 1767, and, in accord with its mournful subject of the grieving Mary at the foot of the cross, restricted his orchestration to strings and organ continuo, with just a pair of oboes adding an additional tinge of colour. But in 1803 the ageing composer returned to the work, and with the help of his pupil Sigismund Neukomm expanded the scoring to include a full wind section plus trumpets, trombones and timpani. It’s this late version that René Jacobs has chosen to record here with the fine Basel Chamber Orchestra.
Jacobs is a conductor who always strives to inject as much drama as possible into his performances, and he vividly conveys the sobbing effects and the stabs of pain that run through the Stabat Mater, as well as the full force of the C minor Presto depicting the flames on the Day of Judgement. The preponderance of slow movements encourages some very quick tempos from Jacobs elsewhere, occasionally making it hard for his soloists to manage the coloratura passages; but this is generally an impressive performance, helped by an accomplished team of soloists and a strong choral contribution from the Zurich Sing-Akadamie.
Misha Donat
