Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki (1933-2010)

[kentel]

Thanks! It sounds neat, and also potentially what I am looking for. I find Pärt's first two very listenable, but also somewhat without substance - the music is not entirely symphonic in its reach.

I fully agree.

From your post and also an Amazon review, the Górecki seems like something to pay some attention to.

Certainly. From the begining Górecki had a very strong musical personality : when you listen to this symphony, there's no doubt who has composed it. That's not the case when you listen to Pärt's first two symphonies (as a matter of fact they are heavily influenced by Tubin). (in my opinion  )

[Maciek]

Never posted back about the new Silesians set. In a nutshell: the first two quartets I prefer in the older (Olympia) recording. The third I have nothing to compare to, performance-wise it seems very good.

[offbeat]

Gorecki Miserere is special for me - very soft, intense, and hypnotic

Another work not yet mentioned i like is
O Domina Nostra  op 55 which is scored for soprano and organ
again very slow burn but wonderful for me
It was on a really cool cd from ECM with other works by Satie and Bryars but looked on Amazon and maybe deleted

[greg]

It is very austere, dark, cold, non-melodic with crushing string dissonances and sparse metallic percussions. Imagine Tchaïkovsky's Swan Lake : it's just the opposite

Awesome description! 
It's one of those works that just I know I like but really don't understand- like it's in a world of it's own.

[kentel]

Awesome description! 
It's one of those works that just I know I like but really don't understand- like it's in a world of it's own.

As a matter of fact, I don't like it very much, it's too harsh for me.  But it's only a question of taste, the guy is very good whatsoever : certainly one of the best living composers. He has his own aesthetics, his own sound, and the impact of his music is very deep (whether I like it or not). I wouldn't say that for Schnittke's symphonies, among others.

My favorite among Górecki's works is certainly his Lark Music ("Lerchenmusik" I think is the original title) with its abysmal low sounds, its piano ostinato and its velvet-like clarinet. This opposition between dark cold brutality, and light softness is one of the most impressive and beautiful things I've ever heard.

[Mirror Image]

At first, I had trouble with Gorecki's music, particularly Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, but at as time went on, I became more open to it's sound world. It is a gorgeous piece of music and whether it's popular or unpopular to enjoy the work now is not a concern of mine. I also have similar experience with Arvo Part whose music I admire now.

[mjwal]

I love the Lerchenmusik, too - but it is worth pointing out that it was dedicated to Louise Lerche-Lerchenborg, who had invited Gorecki to the music festival at Lerchenborg castle, so although there are no doubt affiliations with Messiaen, the work has nothing to do with larks  .

[Wendell_E]

R.I.P.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/11/12/world/europe/AP-EU-Poland-Obit-Gorecki.html?_r=2&emc=eta1

[DavidW]

I will listen to his string quartets, symphony #3 and 3 olden style pieces in memory of him.   Perhaps it is appropriate now to finally pull the trigger on his symphony #2.

[Sid]

RIP indeed. I will listen to his 3rd symphony this weekend as a tribute. There have been few composers in the past few decades like him who have managed to capture the public imagination & bring people into contemporary classical who would have otherwise thought they didn't like this kind of music. Another one who's gone now, Astor Piazzolla, was like that, too...

[greg]

That sucks.

EDIT:
He wrote a 4th symphony! 

His Symphony No. 4 was due to be premièred in London in 2010, by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, but the event was cancelled due to the composer's ill health.

Oh, man... I can't wait to hear it.

[Joaquimhock]

Concerning the 4th symphony, according to conductor Marin Aslop who was due to perfromed the premiere, it was not finished on time and she said before the concert in April that she doubted Gorecki would ever finish it. He was already very ill since several years.

[greg]

Well, somebody is going to have to finish it, then.

[Mirror Image]

Listened to this amazing recording twice last night:





Some may prefer Wit's or another Polish conductors recording of this work, but, for me, Zinman really nailed the essence of this music with the London Sinfonietta. Dawn Upshaw also does a marvelous job in the soprano role. Her voice is so pure and unadorned. What gives this performance such weight is the outstanding audio quality. The strings have much more heft, vividness, and are more lush than Wit's recording on Naxos. To put it simply, I doubt this recording will be bettered.

[not edward]

Good news: Naxos has announced the world premiere recording of the Concerto-Cantata for flute and orchestra in their May release list, with Antoni Wit conducting (to nobody's surprise, I'm sure). Also on the disc are the Three Dances, which I've never heard, plus two comparatively well-known works: the Harpsichord Concerto (played on piano here) and Kleines Requiem fur eine Polka.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/NR_May12_Classical/8572872.htm

[DavidW]

Awesome!  I'll have to listen to it when it comes out.

[Mirror Image]

Good news: Naxos has announced the world premiere recording of the Concerto-Cantata for flute and orchestra in their May release list, with Antoni Wit conducting (to nobody's surprise, I'm sure). Also on the disc are the Three Dances, which I've never heard, plus two comparatively well-known works: the Harpsichord Concerto (played on piano here) and Kleines Requiem fur eine Polka.

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/NR_May12_Classical/8572872.htm

This is good news, Edward. I'm anxious to hear this work. Thanks for the heads up.

[starrynight]

I've never liked Sorrowful Songs, somehow it sounds like the kind of piece that is beautiful for its own sake and that will pull in a mass audience sometimes but very often only for shallow reasons.  Some may connect to it at a deeper level than that, but many most definitely will not.  And I'm not saying I would dislike everything he did, there is probably something I would like somewhere.  Obviously it isn't relevant whether it is considered cool to like it or not, but I can't lie about my feelings. 

As for the comparison to Part I don't think it is relevant to me, some famous things by Part I have liked straight away.  Not sure about the comparison to Piazzolla either.  Some things that are very popular can be good, other things might not be so good.

[snyprrr]

Prompted by Kancheli Thread

Let's be clear: the original Koch recording is the only one to own of No.3,...

other than that,... Gorecki who??

Done.

[mjwal]

I used to agree with that, and Woytowicz has a unique tone far more suited to the work than the rather anodyne Upshaw, but there is also a recording by Kasprzyk with Zofia Kilanowicz, also perfect in its way.
As to "Gorecki who?" - I assume you've heard the Lerchenmusik?

Prompted by Kancheli Thread

Let's be clear: the original Koch recording is the only one to own of No.3,...

other than that,... Gorecki who??

Done.