Beethoven: Cantatas

 

I love the cover of this Hyperion release. You really get a sense of a moment in time from an Austro-Hungarian coronation giving the perspective of an attendee. The old-timey script at the bottom of the painting adds to the unusual nature of the use of this artwork as a cover for a CD.

I don't mind these two early cantatas from Beethoven. He didn't compose a whole lot of Mass settings, so any long-form choral works from the master are welcome. I do wish for a ruddier sounding chorus than the Corydon Singers, which I will explore from Christian Thielemann in due time, where hopefully the chasteness of this British performance is given some color in contrast.

A review from 2020

All of Beethoven’s German choral music is rarely performed, his early cantatas for chorus and soloists honoring the death of Joseph II and celebrating the coronation of Leopold II even more so. Hyperion has collected these two youthful choral cantatas alongside the more Romantic single choral works Opferlied and Meeresstille und Glückliche Fahrt performed by Matthew Best and his choral ensemble Polyphony with its house orchestra.

Aside from his massive Missa Solemnis, the finale of the 9th Symphony, and perhaps his Mass in C and Choral Fantasy, Beethoven’s choral works lay on the outskirts of his oeuvre. By 1790, Beethoven hadn’t written much of consequence, but the two cantatas are pretty engaging considering. At 40 minutes, the longer funereal cantata is punctuated by mirrored opening and closing movements of morose, yet dutiful moodiness and a centerpiece soprano aria with chorus featuring exquisite devotional beauty.

The shorter coronation cantata, at under 25 minutes, feels much slighter in substance than its cantata brother. It is highlighted by a motoric Baroque soprano solo with some impressive vocal gymnastics and a stunning obbligato cello part, plus a final solo quartet with chorus that fits the celebratory mood in a grand Handelian style that nearly borders on the militaristic. The cantatas are interesting diversions and are a fairly convincing look at early Beethoven, with the funeral cantata making the biggest impression through its mood.

The two shorter works are a little more mature sounding than the cantatas. The 6-minute Opferlied trades the spotlight between a mezzo solo and chorus, and its gentle tone is rather subdued. The more adventurous Meeresstille und Glückliche Fahrt (8 minutes), with its visualized sea-faring subject, is perhaps the most Romantic of the program, especially in its unique raindrop chorus and exultant sea-voyage finale.

The soloists are all very good, with Jean Rigby traversing Opferlied beautifully. But it is Belgian bass José Van Dam, whose presence on a Hyperion release is rather surprising, but most welcome for his authority and dramatics; although by 1995 he might not have had the strongest low end of his voice. Of the two sopranos across the cantatas, Janice Watson has the lovelier tone in the Joseph cantata opposite Judith Howarth’s heavier voice, although Howarth manages the main Leopold aria adroitly; still, I would have liked to have heard Watson in the role. Otherwise, the quartets work well together, and John Mark Ainsley’s tenor is good, if not slightly of the stereotypical English variety.

Matthew Best leads pretty good performances of these rare works, there is a good deal of bounce and fluidity opposite the serene moments, and this probably represents one of the earlier recordings widely available that collected both of these cantatas together. That said, these are very English presentations, lacking some of the fulsome Germanic aspects you might expect from Beethoven. Polyphony is a little smaller, lighter, and straight-toned in its sopranos compared to what you would get from German performers. The Polyphony Orchestra lacks a little weight, listen to those opening chords of Meeresstille - a little on the anemic side compared to even John Eliot Gardiner. The inclusion of a harpsichord in the coronation cantata and a few parts of the funeral cantata is thankfully not highlighted, but it certainly dates this early Beethoven music, especially when other recordings usually leave it out.

And that leads to the recorded competition. As far as CD’s dedicated to both of the cantatas, the main feast here, there aren’t many. Leif Segerstam on Naxos gives both, but he is a bit ponderous and his performers, particularly the chorus, aren’t as secure; and that of Rickenbacher on Koch whose Berlin chorus and orchestra are more to my liking, but the soloists are a bit unwieldy and stretched. That leaves recordings of single cantatas paired with different works: Thielemann on DG has the weight and quality German forces in the Joseph cantata, but comes in a 5-CD box of Beethoven’s choral works, Tilson Thomas has a good sounding Joseph Cantata on the SFS home label, Sir Colin Davis with Kiri Te Kanawa on Intaglio also gives Joseph a look in older sound, and the classic Robert Bass offers the Leopold cantata also on Koch. Tilson Thomas also has a set of Beethoven’s choral works on CBS or on Dutton with the London SO and the Ambrosian Singers from the 70’s, and its closer choral perspective might be more attractive for Opferlied and Meeresstille.

But I was really only interested in the Cantatas, and so Matthew Best mid-90's Hyperion recording offers me the best program, even if his performance is a little too Anglicized. Best’s soloists are very good though, featuring the starrier Rigby, Ainsley, and Van Dam, the chorus tunes well and has enough bodies to avoid sounding anemic, but in an English Handelian vein, and the music moves along better than Naxos’ recording. The cantatas are rather rare, but are worth spending some time with, plus Hyperion offers two more shorter choral works on top of it all for 79+ minutes of music.

Works
Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II, WoO 87 (40.50)
Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II, WoO 88 (23.18)
Opferlied, op. 121b (6.44)
Meeresstille und Glückliche Fahrt, op. 112 (8.18)

Soloists
Judith Howarth, soprano
Janice Watson, soprano
Jean Rigby, mezzo-soprano
John Mark Ainsley, tenor
José van Dam, bass

Ensemble
Corydon Singers
Corydon Orchestra
Matthew Best, conductor

Label: Hyperion
Year: 1997
Total Timing: 79.39

Two early cantatas from Beethoven might not elicit a burst of excitement, yet these are lovely creations for those willing to listen to them.

I am not thrilled by the British choral tradition on display here, but there are other recordings around to contrast this one, if you share my predilections.

Otherwise, this is a fine performance, with the starry presence of the late José van Dam.

Find more Beethoven recordings HERE!