Haydn: Creation Mass

Haydn's Creation Mass is so named because it quotes the theme from his oratorio, The Creation. Each of his last six masses proposes a fresh and original solution to the problem of creating sacred music within the classical style. In these late works, Haydn adopted a truly symphonic approach, dividing the text into "movements," as in a symphony, rather than individual choruses, solos, duets, and so forth. His tiny Missa Rorate coeli desuper by contrast, is truly brevis (brief). The Gloria lasts less than a minute, with every vocal part taking a different text at the same time so as to get through all the words as quickly as possible. As a "get out of church fast" strategy, it's unbeatable, and so are these dynamic and vital performances. (by David Hurwitz)