Krzysztof PENDERECKI (b.1933)
Piano Concerto
Resurrection (2001-02/2007) [31:20]
Flute Concerto, for flute and chamber orchestra (1992) [23:20]
Barry Douglas (piano)
Lukasz Dlugosz (flute)
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra/Antoni Wit
rec. Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw, 17-18 June 2010 (Piano); Witold Lutoslawski
Concert Hall, Polish Radio, Warsaw, 4-5 October 2010 (Flute). DDD
NAXOS 8.572696 [60:23]
Krzysztof PENDERECKI (b.1933)
Fonogrammi, for flute and chamber orchestra (1961) [6:55]
Przebudzenie Jakuba (
The Awakening/Dream of Jacob)
(1974) [9:29]
Anaklasis, for strings and percussion (1960) [6:39]
De Natura Sonoris I (1966) [8:51]
Partita, for harpsichord, electric guitar, bass guitar, harp,
double bass and orchestra (1971/1991) [18:44]
Horn Concerto
Winterreise (2008/2009) [18:15]
Urszula Janik (flute)
Jennifer Montone (horn)
Elzbieta Stefanska (harpsichord)
Micha
l Pindakiewicz (electric guitar)
Konrad Kubicki (bass guitar)
Barbara Witkowska (harp)
Jerzy Cembrzynski (double bass)
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra/Antoni Wit
rec. Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw, 28 August - 10 September 2008; 7 September
2009 (Partita); 14-15 June 2010 (Horn). DDD
NAXOS 8.572482 [68:52]
Krzysztof PENDERECKI (b.1933)
Three Olden Style Pieces (1963) [6:04]
Serenade, for strings (1996-97) [9:56]
*
Sinfonietta no.1, for strings (1992) [14:02]
Intermezzo, for 24 strings (1973) [6:53]
Capriccio, for oboe and 11 strings (1964) [6:11]
Sinfonietta no.2, for clarinet and strings (1994) [15:02]
Artur Pachlewski (clarinet)
Jean-Louis Capezzali (oboe)
Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra / Antoni Wit
rec. Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw, 6-24 September and 3 December* 2008.
DDD
NAXOS 8.572212 [58:08]
Krzysztof Penderecki is much more than what Naxos stintingly call "arguably
Poland's greatest living composer". The service rendered
to posterity by the label, with a 20-plus Penderecki discography to
their credit, is immeasurable. Such is their dedication to the cause
that the three recordings under review here have all appeared in the
last year.
The latest addition is a disc showcasing two of the composer's
finest concertos, the ten-movement Resurrection for piano and the more
intimately scored one for flute. With the inimitable Barry Douglas at
the keyboard - he having given the premiere of Penderecki's revised
score in 2007 - in the first and young Polish flautist Lukasz Dlugosz
in the second, on paper these already look safe bets, especially with
Antoni Wit directing his rarely unimpressive Warsaw Philharmonic. In
practice, these works are masterpieces. The earthy, minatory Piano Concerto
is one of the most exciting places to begin an exploration of Penderecki's
music, although the Flute Concerto is arguably more accessible, being
altogether gentler and, given Penderecki's earlier reputation,
surprisingly tonal.
This release followed an equally imposing collection of orchestral works,
first appearing last summer, and again starring the WPO under Wit. Penderecki's
Horn Concerto is one of the many highlights - this is the composer newly
turned more melodious, and the approachable Concerto is one of the finest
for the instrument of the twentieth century.
Apart from the relatively 'tonal'
Jacob's Awakening,
however, the rest of that programme contains some of Penderecki's
most demanding - some say 'notorious' - music.
De
Natura Sonoris,
Anaklasis,
Fonogrammi and the
Partita date from a time when Penderecki was at the forefront
of the post-war avant-garde. Richard Whitehouse's description
of Anaklasis gives a good idea of what to expect from the CD as a whole:
"Quiet discords alternate with brusque gestures, unfolding as a
series of discreetly interconnected episodes for strings into which
percussion gradually insinuates itself before taking over in a barrage
of sound that, after an interlude for cymbals, builds to a vigorous
climax." Penderecki has just added a third work to the two bearing
the title
De Natura Sonoris. As the Latin indicates, they are
explorations of sound, though apparently focusing primarily on virtuosity
and dynamics. There are several clamant passages, but, as with the composer's
avant-garde works in general, the passing years seem to have rendered
it rather less scary than audiences found it at the time. The named
solo instruments in the
Partita do not play a very prominent
role, by the way - the presence of an electric guitar in particular
may raise a few eyebrows, but its role is subtle rather than intrusive.
The programming of these Naxos Penderecki discs generally encourages
listeners to sample the composer in both modernist and considerably
more audience-friendly 'neo-traditional' mode - a good
thing probably, but not to everyone's taste. An alternative rationale
behind the compilations is hard to discern, a semi-exception being the
collection of string orchestra works, with or without a solo instrument,
released just over a year ago. That disc opens with the
Three Olden
Style Pieces, probably the composer's most popular work,
and certainly one of the most frequently recorded. It is not hard to
hear why - Penderecki all but shocked his fellow modernists at the time
(1963) with this tuneful tribute to his musical heritage. With the exception
of the creepy
Intermezzo and stunningly virtuosic oboe
Capriccio,
the other works on this disc come from his back-to-tonality phase, making
this one arguably the best place to start an exploration of this phenomenal
composer.
At any rate, no one can criticise the standard of music-making on any
of the three releases. Besides Douglas and Dlugosz there are stand-out
individual performances from Urszula Janik, Jennifer Montone and Jean-Louis
Capezzali. Above all, Wit and the WPO, totally at home in this uncompromising
repertoire, combine to produce a series of outstanding performances,
technically and expressively comparable to, sometimes even surpassing,
those of Penderecki himself conducting different orchestras on EMI Classics
and DUX.
All but the Flute Concerto were recorded in the
Philharmonic Hall,
Warsaw, and sound quality is thus consistent, and good overall.
Richard Whitehouse's usual excellent notes grace all three albums
and provide details of related Naxos recordings the listener will undoubtedly
be drawn to. Those still unsated by this Penderecki-fest only have to
go back a few more months, for example, to find Naxos's recording
of the Viola Concerto and Second Cello Concerto, comprising what was
one of the finest releases of the year (
review).
The more adventurous on a tight budget can avail themselves of a Naxos
5-CD boxed set of Penderecki's seven symphonies and some choral
works at a bargain price (8.505231) - again with Antoni Wit, this time
mainly conducting the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Elsewhere,
and rather pricier, the Polish Dux label has its own unfolding 'Penderecki
Special Edition', featuring orchestral, chamber and choral music
- see this
review
for further details.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk