Haydn's second great oratorio, known in English as "The Seasons," was composed 1799-1800 in the wake of the great success and popularity of its predecessor. As with "The Creation," the German libretto provided to Haydn was the work of Baron Gottfried van Swieten, who adapted and translated excepts from the lengthy English poem of James Thompson also entiled "The Seasons." The premiere, given on April 24, 1801 in Vienna, was successful - but not as wildly popular as the previous work. The score reproduced here is an authoritative vocal and piano score in German, English and French issued by...

Having been inspired by performances of Handel oratorios while visiting London in 1791-92 and 1794-95, Joseph Haydn determined to write one of his own and was given an English libretto entitled "The Creation," which had originally been offered to Handel years before. This libretto, whose author is still not known, was loosely based upon Biblical sources (Genesis, Pslams) and John Milton's epic "Paradise Lost." Haydn presented it to Baron Gottfried van Swieten, who adapted and translated the work into the German libretto used for the composition of the new oratorio. "Die Schopfung" occupied...

Originally composed in 1786 as a work for orchestra, Haydns piece inspired by the Seven Last Words of Christ was recast as a string quartet the next year and published as his Op. 51. On his way to London in 1794, Haydn heard an adaptation of his orchestral work for chorus with orchestra made by the Passau kapellmeister Joseph Friebert with German text based upon the original Latin seven words. Impressed, Haydn decided to make his own choral version, with a revised German text by Gottfried van Swieten. The new cantata version was premiered before an invited audience in Vienna on March 17, 1796...

Haydn's final mass was given its premiere in Eisenstadt, at the Esterhazy place chapel on September 9th, 1802. The nickname "Harmoniemesse" derives from the German term for a wind ensemble. In contrast to the "Nelsonmesse" of 1798, a wind section was available for the orchestra used to accompany the soli and chorus, and the instruments are featured prominently. The work entered the choral repertoire almost immediately and remains a favorite to this day. The score reissued here was first published in the early 20th century by C. F. Peters of Leipzig. The keyboard reduction is adapted from the...