Oratorio Society of New Jersey to perform Haydn and Vivaldi masterpieces

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MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Oratorio Society of New Jersey will be performing two of the most beloved works in the choral literature: Joseph Haydn’s “Missa in Angustiis,” also known as the “Lord Nelson Mass,” and Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” The concert will take place on Saturday, May 21, at 8 p.m. at Union Congregational Church, 176 Cooper Ave. in Montclair. The concert will be conducted by OSNJ music director Sándor Szabó. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.oratoriosocietynj.org for a discounted price or at the door.

The concert will feature soloists soprano Chelsea Friedlander, mezzo-soprano Nani Fuetig, tenor Christopher Lucier and bass-baritone Jason Eck.

OSNJ will require proof of vaccination and facemasks for all attendees.

Haydn is known as “the father of the symphony” — he wrote 104 of them! — but he also wrote many wonderful choral pieces. Haydn scholar H.C. Robbins-Landon considers the “Missa in Angustiis” to be Haydn’s greatest masterpiece. The work came to be known as the “Lord Nelson Mass” because its premiere coincided with British Lord Nelson’s victory over Napoleon’s forces in the Battle of the Nile in 1798. The Latin title translates as “Mass in Time of Anxiety,” but the music presents a much broader pallet of emotions, with some critics describing the work as jubilant. That jubilance reflects much more than just the feelings about a military victory, speaking to the persistent hope and optimism of the human spirit.

Many are familiar with Vivaldi through his immensely popular work “The Four Seasons.” But, like Haydn, Vivaldi was a master at creating moving, memorable choral pieces, as well. In a list of “15 of the greatest classical choral works ever written,” Classic FM placed Vivaldi’s “Gloria” at the top of the list and noted, “From its opening flourish the driving piece never lets up, carrying even the most nonchalant listener along on its ecstatic journey.” The positive, energetic feeling provides a perfect complement to the Haydn work.

  Oratorio Society of New Jersey, Union Congregational Church