Haydn: Nelson Mass / Therese Mass

Eliot Gardiner brings his usual refreshingly astringent approach to these works, driving the music hard and pushing his singers to clarify every nuance. The result will sound a little acerbic for some ears, especially those not yet accustomed to period performance, but there's no doubting the conductor's commitment to seeking out the very heart of this repertoire. Those staccato trumpet fanfares in the "Benedictus" of the Missa in angustiis have never sounded quite so nakedly aggressive, and the buildup to them never so spine-tingling (thanks also to the pristine sound recording, stripped bare of woolly reverberation). The band, choir, and soloists are impeccable, of course. Even those who remain faithful to Trevor Pinnock's benchmark account of the Nelson will find that Eliot Gardiner, as ever, has something new to add. --Mark Walker