
Szymanowski: Symphonies No 2 & 4 / Gardner
Symphony No. 2 by Szymanowski is a work of great power and ingenuity, with many passionate and varied contrasts in its use of solo instruments. Composed in 1909 â 10, it is widely considered the greatest orchestral work of the composerâs early period, not to mention one of the most important Polish symphonic compositions to date. Szymanowski himself thought very highly of it, and in August 1911 wrote in a letter to his fellow Polish composer Zdzis?aw Jachimecki: âHow happy I am that this Symphony impressed you as I had wanted. I will frankly admit that I feel somewhat proud about its value. In some miraculous way I have managed during my work on it to resist all those garish phantoms which seduce âyoung and inexperiencedâ artists and to produce pure and uncompromising beauty in the way I personally understand it.â
The internationally acclaimed pianist Louis Lortie joins the orchestra and conductor in Symphony No. 4 of 1932, which the composer subtitled âSymphonie concertanteâ in recognition of the near-soloistic role played by the pianist. Whereas Szymanowskiâs early and middle works clearly reflect Wagner, Strauss, and Scriabin, this work is strongly influenced by Prokofiev, particularly in the finale, an agitated and daring movement reminiscent of the Russian composerâs Piano Concerto No. 3, composed about a decade earlier.
Written in 1904 â 05 in a style recalling Wagner and Strauss, the Concert Overture is characterised by enormous expressiveness and gusto in the way it handles the expanding themes. Szymanowski inscribed the original score with part of the poem Wite? W?ast by his friend Tadeusz Mici?ski: âI will not play you sad songs, O Shades! but will give you a triumph proud and fierceâŠâ. This vivid imagery is perfectly in keeping with the musicâs exuberant and vivacious character.
- Chandos
Symphony No. 2 by Szymanowski is a work of great power and ingenuity, with many passionate and varied contrasts in its use of solo instruments. Composed in 1909 â 10, it is widely considered the greatest orchestral work of the composerâs early period, not to mention one of the most important Polish symphonic compositions to date. Szymanowski himself thought very highly of it, and in August 1911 wrote in a letter to his fellow Polish composer Zdzis?aw Jachimecki: âHow happy I am that this Symphony impressed you as I had wanted. I will frankly admit that I feel somewhat proud about its value. In some miraculous way I have managed during my work on it to resist all those garish phantoms which seduce âyoung and inexperiencedâ artists and to produce pure and uncompromising beauty in the way I personally understand it.â
The internationally acclaimed pianist Louis Lortie joins the orchestra and conductor in Symphony No. 4 of 1932, which the composer subtitled âSymphonie concertanteâ in recognition of the near-soloistic role played by the pianist. Whereas Szymanowskiâs early and middle works clearly reflect Wagner, Strauss, and Scriabin, this work is strongly influenced by Prokofiev, particularly in the finale, an agitated and daring movement reminiscent of the Russian composerâs Piano Concerto No. 3, composed about a decade earlier.
Written in 1904 â 05 in a style recalling Wagner and Strauss, the Concert Overture is characterised by enormous expressiveness and gusto in the way it handles the expanding themes. Szymanowski inscribed the original score with part of the poem Wite? W?ast by his friend Tadeusz Mici?ski: âI will not play you sad songs, O Shades! but will give you a triumph proud and fierceâŠâ. This vivid imagery is perfectly in keeping with the musicâs exuberant and vivacious character.
- Chandos
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$3.85Description
Symphony No. 2 by Szymanowski is a work of great power and ingenuity, with many passionate and varied contrasts in its use of solo instruments. Composed in 1909 â 10, it is widely considered the greatest orchestral work of the composerâs early period, not to mention one of the most important Polish symphonic compositions to date. Szymanowski himself thought very highly of it, and in August 1911 wrote in a letter to his fellow Polish composer Zdzis?aw Jachimecki: âHow happy I am that this Symphony impressed you as I had wanted. I will frankly admit that I feel somewhat proud about its value. In some miraculous way I have managed during my work on it to resist all those garish phantoms which seduce âyoung and inexperiencedâ artists and to produce pure and uncompromising beauty in the way I personally understand it.â
The internationally acclaimed pianist Louis Lortie joins the orchestra and conductor in Symphony No. 4 of 1932, which the composer subtitled âSymphonie concertanteâ in recognition of the near-soloistic role played by the pianist. Whereas Szymanowskiâs early and middle works clearly reflect Wagner, Strauss, and Scriabin, this work is strongly influenced by Prokofiev, particularly in the finale, an agitated and daring movement reminiscent of the Russian composerâs Piano Concerto No. 3, composed about a decade earlier.
Written in 1904 â 05 in a style recalling Wagner and Strauss, the Concert Overture is characterised by enormous expressiveness and gusto in the way it handles the expanding themes. Szymanowski inscribed the original score with part of the poem Wite? W?ast by his friend Tadeusz Mici?ski: âI will not play you sad songs, O Shades! but will give you a triumph proud and fierceâŠâ. This vivid imagery is perfectly in keeping with the musicâs exuberant and vivacious character.
- Chandos
























