Johann Michael Haydn: Requiem in B (Grün)
Of Johann Michael Haydn’s two requiem settings, his incomplete late work, the Requiem in B flat major, has remained in the shadow of his so-called "Schrattenbach Requiem" in C minor, composed in 1771. Haydn, almost 70 at the time, who wrote his second "solemn requiem" on commission from the Empress Maria Theresa, could only complete the setting through the beginning of the "Dies irae." Quite similar to Mozart's requiem fragment, Haydn's torso was completed by a musician of a "kindred spirit," since an incomplete Mass for the dead had scarcely a liturgical use. In 1839 Father Gunther Kronecker, choirmaster of the Benedictine monastery, Kremsmünster, took on this weighty task, and thus he was the "Süßmayr to Michael Haydn." Stylistically, his completion of the work - borne on lyrical-cantabile melody displaying at times a folk song character - creates a bridge to the music of Franz Schubert and the Viennese Biedermeier. World premiere recording of this work, as completed by P. Kronecker.
Awarded the MIDEM Classical Award
Contents
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Preface writer
Armin Kircher
| 1966-2015Armin Kircher studied church music at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Until his death he was Director of the Church Music Department of the Archdiocese of Salzburg, and since 1992 he had been administrative director of the Österreichische Werkwoche für Kirchenmusik (Austrian Week for Church Music). He was also Director of Music at St Peter's Abbey, Salzburg and organist at the Cajetan Church in Salzburg. The collections he edited for the Catholic liturgy have become established standard works, in particular the choral collections Chorbuch Mozart • Haydn, the Chorbuch Kirchenjahr (Choirbook for the Church Year) and publications for organ and choir for the new Catholic hymnbook Gotteslob. Armin Kircher also made a name as an arranger of beautiful settings for choir and organ. Personal details
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Ensemble
KammerChor Saarbrücken
The KammerChor Saarbrücken, founded in 1990 by its conductor Georg Grün, quickly developed into one of the best choirs in Germany and likewise enjoys an outstanding international reputation. This has been confirmed through countless appear ances in Germany, in many European countries, the USA and Russia, CDs which have received critical acclaim, numerous radio record ings, and last, but not least, by the many prizes which the choir has won at international choral competitions and at the German choral competition in Regensburg in 1998. The choir performs works from all historical eras. In the field of early music it collaborates with professional ensembles and soloists who are dedicated to historical performance practice. Additional themes in its repertoire include the performance of romantic choral music, as well as an increasing number of world premiere performances of works written by composers exclusively for the ensemble. Personal details
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Ensemble
Kammerphilharmonie Mannheim
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Conductor
Georg Grün
Georg Grün studied church music, school music, Catholic theology, musicology, and conducting, and he taught music and courses on the Catholic religion for several years at a lycée for the arts. In 2000 he was appointed Professor of choral conducting at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim. He has also been very success ful as a conductor of the chamber choir at this school (it has won prizes at the choral competitions of Cork and Maribor). Grün is active both at home and abroad as a guest conductor, juror and lecturer. In October 2012 Georg Grün was appointed Professor for Choral Conducting at the Hochschule für Musik Saar. Personal details
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Soloist - soprano
Lydia Teuscher
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Soloist - alto
Manami Kusano
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Soloist - tenor
Julian Prégardien
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Soloist - bass
Jens Hamann
Jens Hamann was a member of the Stuttgart Hymnus Boys’ Choir, the Kammerchor Stuttgart and the Gächinger Kantorei. After vocal studies with Rudolf Piernay in Mannheim, the baritone was awarded Saarland Radio’s “Special Early Music Award” in 2006. The world premiere recording of Michael Haydn’s Requiem (Carus 83.353), on which he sang, was honored with the 2007 MIDEM Classical Award. In the oratorio field he works with Helmuth Rilling, Georg Grün and Ralf Otto, and he has appeared as a guest at the Stuttgart European Music Festival and the Opernschlossfestspiele Hallwyl. Personal details
Reviews
[...] Der durchweg exzellente Kammerchor Saarbrücken und die Kammerphilharmonie Mannheim bieten eine hervorragende Interpretation. Ungemein leicht der Chor, womit er dem Wort „Kammer” im Namen alle Ehre macht. Sehr akkurat das Orchester. Tüchtig die Solisten. Historisch informiert, wie man heute gelegentlich sagt, der Klang. Dem engagierten Dirigenten Georg Grün, der als Professor für Chorleitung an der Musikhochschule Mannheim tätig ist, glückte eine Aufnahme mit Referenzcharakter.
Johann Michael Haydn: Das bedeutet Musik, die es lohnt, wieder entdeckt zu werden. Es ist an der Zeit, auch den weniger bekannten Haydn angemessen ins Musikleben zu integrieren - vielleicht sogar über die Kirchenkunst und übers Gedenkjahr hinaus.
Johannes Adam
Quelle: Badische Zeitung, 10.08.06, S. 11
[...] Die qualitätvolle Ersteinspielung dieses Werkes durch KammerChor Saarbrücken, assistiert von der Kammerphilharmonie Mannheim belegt eindrucksvoll, wie gekonnt die Vervollständigung des Werkes durch den Regens Chori im Stift Kremsmünster gemacht wurde und dass das Werk bisher zu Unrecht im Schatten des c-Moll-Requiem („Schrattenbach-Requiem”) stand. Eine wichtige und gute Aufnahme anlässlich des Haydn-Jahres, zu der Ausführende und Verlag in gleicher Weise zu beglückwünschen sind!
Walter Sengstschmid
Quelle: Singende Kirche Heft 3, 53.Jg. 2006, S. 216
[…] On s'émerveille en effet devant la structure intelligente du chœur, capable de dessiner un contrepoint parfait dans les fugues et de traduire une émotion sincère dans les moments clés du texte liturgique.
PiRath
Quelle : pizzicato 11/2006
Michael Haydn wurde von seinen Zeitgenossen als hervorragender Kirchenkomponist geschätzt. Seine Kirchenmusik, vor allem die Messen, galten als Musterkompositionen katholischer Kirchenmusik.[...]
Nach langem Dornröschenschlaf des ergänzten Requiems hat nun der Carus-Verlag das Werk in der Fassung Kronecker in sein Programm aufgenommen. Der KammerChor Saarbrücken und die Kammerphilharmonie Mannheim haben unter der Leitung von Georg Grün eine erfrischend vital musizierte Ersteinspielung unternommen. Insgesamt eine sehr gute Aufnahme, nicht zuletzt auch wegen der hervorragenden Solisten.
Cordula Scobel
Quelle: Musik und Kirche, Nov/Dez 2006
[...] Der Mannheimer Professor für Chorleitung Georg Grün lässt den ausgesprochen klangschönen Chor und das an der historischen Aufführungspraxis geschulte Kammerorchester durchsichtig und locker musizieren, das ausgeglichene Solistenquartett fügt sich nahtlos in den Stil der lebendigen, fein ausgearbeiteten Aufführung. [...]
Sixtus König
Quelle: www.klassik-heute.de, 04.04.2006
[...] The performances are very satisfying. Good notes and excellent SACD sound.
Bauman
Quelle: American Record Guide 2007