'I am not an old man, and I am not a believer – until I see for myself.' Thus Janácek replied angrily to a critic after the premiere of his Glagolitic Mass. This is a gritty, masterful performance of a jagged, uncomfortable masterpiece.
Its unusual title stems from the script of the ancient Slavonic text (Glagol) which Janácek set to music. Rattle's is a full-blooded, urgent view of the work, with particularly fine solo contributions from Felicity Palmer and John Mitchinson. That the language is an unfamiliar one is occasionally evident in the chorus, though they, like the orchestra, give totally committed performances under Rattle's inspired leadership.
Also included on this disc is the Sinfonietta, which is as much a study in orchestration as form, with the melody of the fourth movement appearing unaltered no fewer than 14 times, changed only in orchestral colour. It's brilliantly played here, with the 12 trumpets coming up gleaming in the final climax.