The Creation is Haydn's greatest mature masterpiece, yet top-flight performances of it outside London are a rarity. For this rendition, Mark Elder remained seated behind his fortepiano and coaxed stylish playing from his orchestra.
The Hallé's accompaniments were alert and vibrant, and constantly given maximum lyricism and sentimentality. Elder's approach comfortably mingled warmth with incisiveness, and confirmed that a fresh attitude, loyalty to the score, and an interpretive imagination are ultimately more important than whether the players use period instruments.
Elder frequently adopted relaxed tempi. A measured "Representation of Chaos" beautifully brought out all the details of Haydn's innovative scoring, which was anarchistic back in 1799. It was a shame that it did not move seamlessly into Raphael's "In the beginning" without a break, but the celebrated explosion of C major on "Let there be light" was the first of many opportunities for the large Hallé choir to take centre stage. While not possessing the flexibility or clarity desirable in Haydn's most contrapuntal choruses, the choir's contribution was rousing, full-blooded and disciplined - suggesting that the traditional English choral society is alive and kicking. Yet the potential triumph of a performance of The Creation depends on giving part three's depiction of Adam and Eve a tricky juxtaposition of tenderness and joie de vivre. Elder's management of it was admirable, but could not sustain the constant brilliance of the description of the six days of the creation that had preceded it.
This performance had three outstanding soloists. Soprano Sally Matthews's contribution was eloquent, and her blend with her co-soloists in several trios and duets was mellifluous. Tenor Timothy Robinson's delivery of recitatives was a touch deliberate, but every word rang through with perfect clarity. Andrew Foster-Williams suavely tackled the great demands Haydn makes on the bass, and enthusiastically communicated Raphael's texts. The cumulative effect was greater than the sum of its excellent parts, and left one wondering why the Hallé's forays into this early repertoire have become so rare.
