When Robert Shaw died in 1999, he left behind a legacy of choral recordings that show his skill and consistency as a conductor and trainer of choirs. This recording of Beethoven's Mass in C Major (coupled with the Elegiac Song and Calm Sea Prosperous Voyage) was recorded almost two decades ago in 1990 and shows him at his most characteristic. This is a leisurely affair but blessed with choral work of the highest quality. Whether or not, though, this recording can be recommended in a musical world that has moved on so much since it was produced - John Eliot Gardiner's recording on Archiv, the first on period instruments, came out only a couple of years later - is another question.
There are times when Shaw's reading seems very slow indeed when compared to Gardiner's: Shaw's 'Gloria' comes in at 11'08 compared to Gardiner's 8'49; his 'Credo' 12'15 compared to 10'30 and his 'Agnus Dei' 8'27 compared to 6'21. His unapolagetically big boned approach gives the work a monumental rather than an urgent feel and this is emphasised by the smooth and luxurious recorded sound. His soloists too have something ever so slightly 'Choral Society' about them, particularly Myron Myer's rather cavernous bass and Marietta Simpson's plummy, imperious sounding mezzo.
There are many fine moments, such as the lovely hushed atmosphere at the opening of the 'Sanctus' but the leisurely pace at 'pleni sunt coeli et terra' does just seem too slow. Here and elsewhere the pedestrian tempos are emphasised by the fact that we can hear every note of the violins' tremolandi, which can't help but produce a laboured effect. Even though the soloists take a second to find their feet in the quartet that opens the 'Benedictus', this is probably the most successful part of the recording - Shaw strikes the best balance between imposing religiosity and forward momentum.
Of the fillers, both the Elagiac Song and the Goethe setting, Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, are well sung and played. New to me, the Elagiac Song is a rather slight setting of an unknown poet composed after the death the wife of Johann Freiherr von Pasqualati, one of Beethoven's most easy-going landlords. Here it receives a touching performance, and Shaw manages very nicely to evoke both the frustration of the Calm Sea and the high spirits of the Prosperous Voyage in the final filler.
Whether or not this disc is attractive for potential buyers will depend entirely upon their view of period instrument performance. It is very much old fashioned in terms of its broad tempi and big sound, and although it does seem to drag a little in places, Shaw keeps it lively in the main. The recorded sound is natural but a touch smooth and lacking in detail. Although throughout the choral singing is beyond reproach, I would have to steer those coming new to the work to head towards to one of the several fine period instrument performances available, even if they might only be available at full price. These give a better opportunity to hear how exciting and moving this work, so often obscured in the shadows of the Missa Solemnis, can be.
By Hugo Shirley