Haydn: Die Schöpfung (The Creation)

"A superb, and energetic, new period-instrument recording of Haydn's late masterpiece, his oratorio The Creation - at Naxos' highly appealing price. Andreas Spering directs a young cast of solo and choral singers in a well-judged performance characterised by nicely sprung tempi, clean textures and some thrilling choral work. All in all, a bargain indeed."

"Recorded in Cologne in July 2003 by German Radio, this issue offers a first-rate period performance of Haydn's masterpiece, lively and well sung. Since other issues of Die Schöpfung in the super-budget category use modern instruments it fills an important gap, particularly as the digital sound is so clear and transparent. With the same choir, Andreas Spering has already recorded a disc of early Haydn cantatas for Harmonia Mundi, and here in a far more ambitious work he is just as successful in bringing out the composer's eternal freshness."

"...the Naxos issue offers [a] first-rate period performance of Haydn's masterpiece, lively and very well sung...An excellent bargain."

"...raw, period-instrument sonorities..."