You make a compelling case for the Beethoven!Jared wrote: for the Beethoven, think about his Hummel and Haydn sets... he simply excelled at this style of choral works with Collegium 90, and provides an excellent counterpart to the Gardiner, if one should want two versions of the LvB Mass in C in your collection... Chandos recording typically high quality.
I think you'll agree that the Haydn and Hummel sets were arguably one of Hickox's greatest legacies (although I've not as yet heard his Haydn) and this disk is every bit as good..
In relation to the Haydn Masses, everything that you have said above equally applies!