Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/
Hilary Davan Wetton
Beethoven: Der Glorreiche Augenblick
(Naxos)
HERE is a must for Beethoven fans. It's a patriotic cantata whose title translates as The Glorious Moment. It was the result of a commission to write a piece in praise of Vienna and a tribute to the nobility of Europe. The text is daft, and the music is far from Beethoven's Olympian endeavours, but it is such an entertaining piece, so bouncy and jolly, that it's irresistible in this brilliant performance. It's got everything: solo recitatives and arias, one featuring a spectacular violin solo (Clio Gould), vocal quartet recitatives, a stream of super choruses (including children's chorus) and all manner of drums and cymbals. The performance by the City of London Choir, RPO, singers Claire Rutter, Matilde Wallevik, Peter Hoare, Stephen Gadd, the Westminster Boys Choir and others too numerous to mention, is full-on and unbuttoned – total fun. It's coupled with the ramshackle Choral Fantasia, equally ebullient here and featuring sparkling pianist Leon McCawley.
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