Topic: Aleksander Lason (b. 1951)

[Maciek]

OK, here I go trying out another one.

Aleksander Lasoń is another of the '51 Generation. He is the author of perhaps my favorite Polish Violin Concerto from the second half of the 20th century - the Concerto festivo. As I mentioned earlier, the entire second half of this piece was encored during the first performance - it was really amazing. Unfortunately, no commercial recording available, and I don't have a radio recording in decent enough sound to post it here.

His music is very accessible, very expressive. Recordings do not abound but I'll mention three CDs - all of them containing minor works, unfortunately :



This entire set is exceptional (at least the 5 volumes I've sampled so far), and volume 7 contains a wonderful recording of Lason's Hymn and Aria for string orchestra. A lovely, moving (if slightly repetitive) piece allowing the ensemble to produce an exceptionally full sound. Dedicated to the memory of Lason's father.



This CD of contemporary Polish quartet music played by the Dafo Quartet contains a recording of Lason's Relief for Andrzej - a short, sad piece dedicated to the memory of the third member of the Stalowa Wola Generation, Andrzej Krzanowski.

And finally, something a bit bigger at last:


This contains Lason's The Four Seasons, a chamber piece in four (duh...) parts.

Let's discuss Aleksander Lasoń, ladies and gentlemen!

Maciek

[Maciek]

Difficult to say if this is a representative piece but it's the best I could get in terms of radio webcasts at the moment. Lason's Chamber Music No. 3 from 1978. Performed by musicians from the PRNSO conducted by the composer himself.

DownloadLink: http://rapidshare.com/files/35185070/Lason_Aleksander_Muzyka_kameralna_nr_3__1978_.mp3

File-Size: 17,62 Mb

[Lilas Pastia]

I listened to it and was impressed by its mix of ingenuity and sophistication. Woodwinds get a terrific workout here. Only 10 minutes, but definitely worth hearing. Thanks for sharing, Maciek!

[paul]

Maciek, I was wondering if you could help me locate information about a CD I downloaded by Aleksander Lasoń that contains six of his compositions including the Concerto Festivo, Chamber Music No.3, and Double Bass Quartet. I have no clue who the performers are or who put out the CD and I'd really like to find out since I enjoy the CD.

[Maciek]

Are you sure it's from a commercial release? I'd love to get Concerto festivo on CD myself (all I have is a slightly truncated radio recording) but it hasn't been released as far as I know. The only other possibility that comes to mind is that it was released by Polish Radio Katowice - they do release a bit of Polish contemporary music from time to time but it always goes out of print momentarily, and after that there's no trace of it on the net.

[paul]

It might not be. I downloaded it off of someone on soulseek. The track listing is as follows:

1.Muzyka kameralna n°1 stalowowolska
2.Symphonie pour instruments à vent , percussions et 2 pianos
3.La montagne
4.Chamber Music n°3*
5.Concerto Festivo
6.Double Bass Quartet*

*These have clapping at the end so I know they've live. It sounds like Concerto Festivo is a broadcast. La montagne and the Symphonie sound like broadcasts but the Muzyka kameralna is probably a studio recording. These might just remain on my hard drive without performers labeled.

[Maciek]

It might not be. I downloaded it off of someone on soulseek. The track listing is as follows:

1.Muzyka kameralna n°1 stalowowolska
2.Symphonie pour instruments à vent , percussions et 2 pianos
3.La montagne
4.Chamber Music n°3*
5.Concerto Festivo
6.Double Bass Quartet*

Well, assuming that these are Warsaw Autumn recordings (they are broadcast from time to time by the Polish Radio and some of them are released... hm... dunno how to term this... semi-commercially? they're only available to "insiders"), here are the performers you could expect:
1. never performed on WA (AFAIK); might have been performed on a WA "satellite" concert a couple of years ago but I'm too lazy to search out the program
2. Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra/Wojciech Michniewski (WA 1980)
3. (I'm assuming this is the piece called: Góry) Polish Radio and TV Orchestra in Cracow/Antoni Wit (WA 1983 - world premiere)
4. Ensemble Intercontemporain/Arturo Tamayo (WA 1985); an alternative would be the recording posted earlier in this thread
5. Krzysztof Bąkowski, violin, Sinfonia Varsovia/Wojciech Michniewski (WA 1996)
6. no idea, never performed on WA (AFAIK)

But then the Polish Radio usually has recordings of its own, so this isn't something I would be betting on. Well, no. 5 is something you can be practically sure of. The rest - I don't know.

[paul]

Thanks a lot for the information!

[Maciek]

5. Krzysztof Bąkowski, violin, Sinfonia Varsovia/Wojciech Michniewski (WA 1996)

Well, no. 5 is something you can be practically sure of.

Oops, sorry. I just checked the radio broadcast I have: it's a different performance! Polish Radio Orchestra in Katowice/Tomasz Bugaj and Krzysztof Bąkowski, violin. Somehow I was completely certain it would be the same.

Sorry again. So much for trying to be informative...