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Another Haydn cliche shot down

Ryan Morris | Chicago, IL | 10/22/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I adore Haydn and consider him every bit as fine as Mozart, even finer. I readily admit that there are certain Mozart pieces that are better than all of Haydns music, but I think, when considering there entire output, Haydn is the better composer. Yet I have always conceded to detractors that Mozart was a better composer for voice, and piano concerto's. I have yet to hear a Haydn opera and till this disc and its subsequent volume, had never heard his masses. I knew Haydn's vocal writing through the Creation and the Seasons[both of which I consider Masterpieces of the highest order----the seasons I especially consider remarkable undervalued].



Now that I have heard Haydn's masses, I feel my arguement for Haydn is even more firm. These are works might lack the transcendence of Mozart's, but again I consider them to be Mozart's greatest accomplishments[Masses, opera's, Piano Concerto's, wind writing in general]. But, in now way do these masses concede anything to Mozart. They are not as immediatly seductive as Mozarts, but on repeated listenings, their innate brilliance reveals itself. A mass for organ, drums, and voice!!! that sounds almost primeval!!! Haydn is just so underrated, he is so brilliant, so inventive, and so consistently remarkable that I feel sorry for anyone who has passed judgement on him without a thorough investigation of all his works."