Royal Festival Hall, 9 January 2013
Superlatives are always a problem for the music critic, but there are rare performances which are so far above the routine that they demand recognition. Adam Fischer conducted from memory and had a smile on his face throughout, gently encouraging and lifting his performers to ever greater excellence. The Creation is the most humane of religious compositions, with no hint of the guilt and violence which can so easily taint earlier religious works. Yet Haydn’s spirituality is sincere throughout, even if coloured by the age of reason in its understanding of the deity and mankind’s relationship to creation.
Adam Fisher drives the narrative forward with surprising alacrity though he does not miss a trick along the way. Worms wriggle, birds trill, the leviathan writhes, and all without over emphasis or lack of respect. If anything the opening section had the monumentality of Beethoven, with the Chaos setting particularly impressive. The hints of Mozart surface at the more felicitous moments, with the new created world having the innocence of Papageno’s bells.
Solo instrumentalists were enabled to shine, with the lucky woodwind given individual solos for the various birds.
The young soloists brought a freshness and vitality to their parts which can often be lacking in more sombre approaches. Sophie Bevan’s easy coloratura enchanted, and her deft portrayal of Eve made the character utterly convincing even if the sentiments are not totally at one with post-feminism. Andrew Kennedy beamed throughout, and brought a charm and individuality to the angel voices which can often be missed. Andrew Foster Williams enjoyed the lower reaches and was a convincing Adam, hand in hand with his partner.
The fresh young voices of the Schola Cantorum of Oxford were ideal for this work and the precision as well as the vigour of their singing was captivating.
To the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment this may be familiar territory but they played with conviction and panache throughout. If all Haydn were given this quality he would surely be performed as often as either Handel or Mozart. BH