Marcel TYBERG: Masses – Christopher Jacobson (organ) South Dakota Chorale/Brian A. Schmidt- Pentatone

by | Jun 22, 2017 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

Marcel TYBERG (1893-1944) ; Mass No. 1 in G Major for Mixed Chorus and Organ (1934) Mass No. 2 in F Major for Mixed Chorus and Organ (1941) ; Christopher Jacobson (organ) South Dakota Chorale/Brian A. Schmidt- Pentatone PTC5186584 SACD TT: 64:36 – (1/15/16) ****:

Pentatone provides an opportunity for us to honor the music of a forgotten composer who died in the Nazi concentration camps

This new SACD disc from Pentatone gives us two masses from Marcel Tyberg, While not a prolific composer, he wrote some powerful and memorable music, and these two masses are perfect examples.

Marcel Tyberg was born in Vienna in 1895. In the years immediately before the Second World War II, Tyberg was a promising young composer whose Second Symphony had been premiered in the 1930s by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Rafael Kubelík. Part Jewish, but a practicing Catholic, his family did it’s best to dodge the Nazi’s increasing interest. Thinking he would at some point be arrested, he entrusted his music to friends. For many years he was thought to have committed suicide, but in fact he was exterminated at Auschwitz.

The Mass No. 1 was written in 1934, for Mixed Chorus and Organ. It’s an ethereal work, filled with emotion and longing.

The Mass No. 2 is also composed for Mixed Chorus and Organ. It was composed in 1941.

The 5.0 recording is stunning, letting the listener absorb this little known work in a live acoustic space and with the fine South Dakota Chorale conducted by Bryan Schmidt. Organist Christopher Jacobson sounds flawless here and this recording is certainly one our audiophile readers will enjoy.

Marcel Tyberg’s story is a sad one, and we are lucky to have had his legacy saved by admirers. For decades his name and music have been in undeserved limbo. Kudos to Pentatone for getting engaged in this project and capturing a fine performance in pristine sonics.

This excellent disc is highly recommended.

—Mel Martin

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