Haydn: The Creation / Nelson

MILNE; GÜRA; ROSE; CROWE; BEYER; NELSON; NETHERLANDS RADIO CHAMBER PHILHARMONIC AND RADIO CHAMBER CHOIR; HAMELEERS

The soloists are excellent and seem thoroughly at home in late classical repertory. Lisa Milne’s Gabriel is an impressive mixture of subtlety and power; elegance and force. Her singing throughout is effortless. The singing of the Netherlands Radio Choir is highly appropriate for the repertory; the dancelike, forward propulsion in the large choral movements is an absolute joy to listen to, and the attention to dynamic nuance mirrors the gentle subtlety and the explosive passion of the orchestra quite impressively. The overall impact of this performance is one of infectious celebration and wonder. Interest is piqued throughout the piece in many ways, from the subtle shifts in fortepiano accompaniment during the recitatives, to the obvious happiness of the soloists as they progress from describing creation to celebrating it, to the broad dynamic continuum of the choir to the commanding, encouraging presence of John Nelson at the helm. Even the bonus material, which contains a fascinating interview with Nelson and some interesting rehearsal footage, is wonderful. © 2013 Choral Journal

Price: $32.98