Viennese composer Joseph Eybler (1765-1846) is not exactly a household name, but he was highly esteemed during his lifetime (he succeeded Antonio Salieri as Court Composer)and it is easy to see why. This Christmas Oratorio is lovely, filled with enough types of arias, recitatives, choruses–and a couple of fine quartets–to please Mozart and Haydn fanciers. At times direct and easily tuneful, at others highly ornamented, Eybler’s vocal lines are generous and have that instant recognition factor that great music of this era always has. And his use of winds, nice combination of instruments (one quartet is accompanied by clarinet, three trombones, and strings), and handsome word-painting are special. This performance is spirited and nicely played by the instrumentalists; and the vocalists, though they sound a bit unpolished (and the soprano is almost beaten by her aria in part one), serve the work well. This is a genuine rarity, filled with very real Classical pleasures.
