Haydn: The Creation

Robert Shaw is so dependable a guide to the masterpieces of the choral repertory that it's safe to say you can't go wrong in turning to him for Haydn's greatest work for voices. That's true even in a field crowded with solid alternatives geared to differing tastes. So if you want Haydn's original German text ("Die Schöpfung"), there are excellent performances by von Karajan on DG and Wöldike on Vanguard; for the same, with an extra dash of exuberance, there's Solti on London. If only original instruments will suffice, try Gardiner on Archiv. But for a Creation in English (using Shaw's own superior translation), Shaw rules the roost. It's also the best-recorded version; when the big choruses let loose, this is an audiophile's delight. The soloists are never less than adequate, though no match for von Karajan's starry cast. Shaw's interpretation hews the fine line between drama and lyricism; his middle-of-the road stance lets the music speak eloquently for itself. Even if you have a German-language version, this set will give joy and insights. --Dan Davis