Louis Lortie, BBC Symphony Orchestra & Edward Gardner - Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 & Concert Overture (2013) [24/88]

This recording of orchestral works by Karol Szymanowski form part of the Polish Music series on Chandos, and is performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Edward Gardner. These performers have impressed in their Lutoslawski survey, which is part of the same series; in a review of volume 1, Gramophone described them as a veritable ‘dream team’.

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 – 10, it is widely considered the greatest orchestral work of the composer’s 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 Zdzislaw Jachimecki: ‘How 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 “young and inexperienced” artists and to produce pure and uncompromising beauty in the way I personally understand it.’

The internationally acclaimed pianist Louis Lortie joins the orchestra and conductor in Symphony No. 4 of 1932, which the composer subtitled ‘Symphonie concertante’ in recognition of the near-soloistic role played by the pianist. Whereas Szymanowski’s 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 composer’s Piano Concerto No. 3, composed about a decade earlier.

Written in 1904 – 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 Witez Wlast by his friend Tadeusz Micinski: ‘I will not play you sad songs, O Shades! but will give you a triumph proud and fierce…’. This vivid imagery is perfectly in keeping with the music’s exuberant and vivacious character.

“These performances prove ideal, finding luminosity at the opening, and delivering a taut, energetic fugal finale…In the oberek dance rhythms of the orgiastic finale, Gardner shows how he has become one of the finest non-Polish interpreters of Szymanowski.” (BBC Music Magazine)

“The whole Szymanowski landscape is here…though a single sitting might prove indigestible and is probably not advised, the changing face and manner of this most fascinating and accomplished of composers is richly chronicled here in characterically impressive Chandos sound.” (Gramophone)

'… With beautiful sound throughout, and authoritative notes by Adrian Thomas, this excellent disc can be recommended with enthusiasm - all concerned are splendid advocates of this wonderful music.' (Nigel Simeone, International Record Review)

Tracklist:

Karol Szymanowski (1882–1937)

01. Concert Overture‚ Op. 12 12:19
02. Symphony No. 4‚ Op. 60. I. Moderato (Tempo commodo) 9:53
03. Symphony No. 4‚ Op. 60. II. Andante molto sostenuto - 8:50
04. Symphony No. 4‚ Op. 60. III. Allegro non troppo‚ ma agitato… 6:40
05. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. I. Allegro moderato 12:13
06. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Theme. Lento - 1:30
07. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Variation I. L'istesso tempo - 1:29
08. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Variation II. L'istesso tempo - 1:56
09. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Variation III. Scherzando. 2:29
10. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Variation IV. Tempo di Gavotte - 2:41
11. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Variation V. Tempo di Minuetto - 2:48
12. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Finale. Introduzione. Variation VI. 1:17
13. Symphony No. 2‚ Op. 19. II. Fuga finale 6:48

Personnel:
Louis Lortie, piano (on Symphony No. 4, Op. 60)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner, conductor

Recorded at Watford Colosseum, 3 April (Symphony No. 2) and 2 July (other works) 2012
Produced by Brian Pidgeon
Engineered by Ralph Couzens