*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

PENDERECKI Utrenia. 1 PERSICHETTI Sinfonia: janiculum (Symphony No. 9) • Eugene Ormandy; Philadelphia O; Stefania Woytowicz (sop); 1 Kerstin Meyer (mez); 1 Seth McCoy (ten); 1 Bernard Ladysz (bs); 1 Peter Lagger (bs); 1 Temple University Ch 1 • RCA-ArkivMusic 38303 (63:34)


This, recorded in 1970, is to my knowledge the only recording of the Penderecki; it is certainly a departure from what is generally regarded as Ormandy’s distinctively conservative repertoire. It is indeed probably as avant-garde as anything Ormandy recorded, but the truth of the matter is that he programmed contemporary music throughout his career, beginning with his tenure as conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony in the early 1930s. Among his world premieres were Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto, Hindemith’s Clarinet Concerto, and Martin?’s Fourth Symphony, as well as numerous works by American composers.


The real stars of the Penderecki recording are the Temple University Choir members, directed by Robert Page. The work calls for large orchestra, but there are long stretches for voices alone or with minimal accompaniment. Sounds of the Orthodox liturgy echo throughout the piece, but only for one startling passage in the fourth movement do the men’s voices suddenly sing in purely triadic harmony. You probably know whether you enjoy Penderecki’s music.


The Persichetti Symphony is one of the American compositions that Ormandy premiered; it was originally coupled on a 1971 LP with William Schuman’s Ninth Symphony, another Ormandy world premiere. Philadelphians think of the Philadelphia Orchestra as “their” orchestra, much more an integral part of the community than those of many other American cities. This was especially true when Ormandy was music director, since he did relatively little guest conducting, preferring to conduct most of each season in Philadelphia, where, of course, he was well known after decades on the podium. One manifestation of this “small town” mentality was Ormandy’s attention to the music of Philadelphia composers, beginning with Samuel Barber and including Persichetti, Richard Yardumian, and Louis Gesenway, a second violinist with the orchestra. Persichetti’s music can be described as mid-century academic-eclectic; the Ninth Symphony in one movement, more advanced in its language than many of his works, is still vaguely triadic and features the winds and percussion prominently. This disc is for the more musically adventurous.

FANFARE: Richard A. Kaplan

Prophets of the New is a series from Sony focusing on classic recordings of the 20th century's most revolutionary works.

Classical Music

Directed by Anna Schmidt. Starring Julian Rachlin, Jonny Greenwood, Andrzej Wajda.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Florian Uhlig has often played the concerto under the direction of Penderecki as well as with other conductors throughout the world. Uhlig gives an exceptional interpretation of this successful contemporary work that is particularly close to his heart.

The Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki used to write chamber music even as a student in Cracow. He was writing the chamber music works for himself, then already an accomplished violinist, and his fellow students (The title "Sonata for Violin and Piano" from 1953 has only recently been published.). A specialty of these early works are Penderecki's inventions with which he altered the sound of the stringed instruments, indeed almost to the point of being completely unrecognizable. With the new sounds he introduced, he achieved effects both frightening and rough as well as a bewitching, irredescent lyricism: a broad scale of sounds and colors which no one would have thought possible with stringed instruments. After the composition of the "String Quartet No. 1" chamber music receded into the background. The next quartet appeared eight years later, and the following pieces for single instruments were mostly "gifts of friendship" for the outstanding interpreters of his instrumental concertos with orchestra. Only recently, in 1990, has Penderecki turned again intensively to chamber music, composing the strongly virtuoso "String Trio" which is also included on this CD. The interpreters of this production are renowned musicians and, being either Polish or having lived and worked in Poland, very familiar with the composer's works.

Five compositions from three decades are brought together here representing all of Penderecki's creative periods. This provides an interesting possibility for reflection. The series of works begins with the 1983 Concerto for Viola, music by the composer at the age of 50, reflecting the current position of his compositional work: a pluralism which combines all the possible aspects of his earlier writing experience. This began in 1959 with "Strophes", his first point of contact with the west European avantgarde. This however had no further consequences, because Penderecki had already in 1965 in his Capriccio for Oboe condensed his very personal and bold experiments with material in the border region between sound and noise. Similarly in 1973 at the age of 40 when he wrote his little Intermezzo for Strings, he had already written his First Symphony, the emphatic work of his middle period. Only thereafter came the surprising shift in style - Penderecki's "romantic phase" - one of the results of which is the Concerto for Viola. Tabea Zimmermann: viola / Mariusz Pedzialek: oboe / Olga Szwajgier: soprano / Amadeus Kammerorchester Posen / Agnieszka Duczmal: conductor.

PENDERECKI: Polish Requiem / Przebudzenie Jakuba (The Awaken

Penderecki: Te Deum - Lacrimosa

Penderecki: Seven Gates of Jerusalem

Krzysztof Penderecki is one of the most famous and prominent living Polish composers. Symphonies have a special place in his legacy, but until now have never been recorded in a series under his artistic direction. In celebration of his 80th birthday, DUX presents the best performances of his works with the Sinfonia luventus. His great musical authority influences the young musicians' energetic and fresh sound.

In many of his public statements, the illustrious Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1934) has stressed that the human voice is his favorite expressive device. + His many works for vocal and vocal-instrumental forces, including the selection of choral pieces featured on this recording, provide convincing proof of this fact. + The Polish Chamber Choir, directed by Jan Łukaszewski, belongs to a small elite of internationally renowned, fully professional chamber choirs

It took more than five decades after the Psalms of David for Krzysztof Penderecki to produce another large-scale vocal-instrumental work setting Polish texts. It was a commission from the Fryderyk Chopin National Institute for a piece to be performed at the final concert of the Chopin Bicentenary celebrations that offered Penderecki a suitable opportunity to turn again to Polish poetry. The conductor Wojciech Rajski leads the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir and a trio of vocal soloists.