Haydn's response to the suffering and turmoil of Napoleon's European military campaigns was clearly to reflect it full on. The urgent need is for repentance. Don't forget that many Christians in Europe at the end of the 18th century would have seen war as a divine punishment. Trevor Pinnock, conducting the period-instrument group the English Concert with the English Concert Choir (DG Archiv), conveys that urgency right from the start. The driven, intense quality isn't simply a matter of hurrying the music along.

Soprano soloist Felicity Lott enters fully into the music's character with a real sense of personal commitment. Carolyn Watkinson's eloquent contralto is matched by Maldwyn Davies's strong tenor, while David Wilson-Johnson provides dignity and spaciousness for the vital bass solo, "Qui tollis". The choir is equal to all the demands of the writing while with Pinnock one invariably feels that tempos are well-judged, with every nicety of the writing being carefully inspected -- offering a perfect combination of a sound overview with an eye for the smallest detail of Haydn's writing.