Album

This is what one lives for: one lucid moment of absolute understanding. Jascha Horenstein's recording from February 23, 1961, is what one lives for: one of the two of three greatest performances of one of the two or three greatest sacred choral works ever recorded. If Jascha Horenstein is not one of the great names in twentieth century conducting, it is only because he insisted too much on rehearsals and not enough on publicity. But, from the long view, Horenstein's technically impeccable sound gets better and better and his ability to infuse even the most rigorously rehearsed performance with the brilliant light of inspiration is in itself inspirational. At its best Horenstein could create performances as magisterial as Klemperer and as ecstatic as Furtwängler and this entire performance of the Missa Solemnis is Horenstein at his best. The radiant splendor and sublime bliss of Horenstein's performance is proof in itself that humanity is capable of transcendence. And the remaining performances on these discs—Horenstein's dark-hued 1971 Unfinished Symphony of Schubert and his tragic 1972 Eines Faust Overture of Wagner—are just as transcendent. While it is true that the sound of the Missa Solemnis is a bit muddy, the sense of place and time is compensation.

© James Leonard, Rovi

CD 1 of 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Mass in D, Op.123 (a4, 'Missa Solemnis') Work Recorded 1961 1:23:13 Richard Lewis Tenor, Norma Procter Contralto, Jascha Horenstein Conductor, BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Teresa Stich-Randall Soprano, BBC Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir, Kim Borg Bass
1	1.Kyrie (Assai sostenuto)	9:12			$1.49
2	2.Gloria (Allegro vivace)	17:43			$2.99
3	3.Credo (Allegro ma non troppo)	22:22			$3.99
4	4.Sanctus (Adagio)	17:01			$2.99

CD 2 of 2
1	5.Agnus Dei (Adagio. Presto)	16:55			$2.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Symphony No.8 in B-, D.759 ('Unfinished') Work Recorded 1971 25:07 Jascha Horenstein Conductor, BBC Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
2	1.Allegro moderato	11:46			$1.99
3	2.Andante con moto	13:21			$2.49
Richard Wagner Composer A Faust Overture, in D-, WWV 59 Work Recorded 1972 Jascha Horenstein Conductor, BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
4	A Faust Overture, in D-, WWV 59	11:54			$1.99