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Chandos

Gorecki: Complete Music for String Quartet

$21.99

Details

Composer
Henryk Gorecki
Artist
Silesian Quartet
Format
CD
Label
Chandos
Released
Mar 21, 2025
Catalog #
CHAN 20383(2)
UPC
0095115238325

About

The Gramophone Award-winning Silesian Quartet present a double-album of the complete works for string quartet by compatriot Henryk Gorecki. All three of his numbered string quartets were written late in life - the first in 1988 - and all three were commissioned by the Kronos Quartet. The First Quartet is a single-movement work, based on a sixteenth-century song by Waclaw of Szamotuly. The Second, double the length of the First, is subtitled 'quasi una fantasia' and follows a classical four-movement form, subtly referencing Beethoven. Gorecki completed the Third Quartet (double the length of the Second!) after the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs had catapulted his music to much wider acclaim. It extends to five movements and is considered by many to be one of his greatest compositions. In the 1980s and 1990s, Gorecki composed several collections of choral songs. Five Kurpian Songs is based on folksongs from Kurpie, a region north-west of Warsaw. The composer himself suggested that these works would be effective when performed by a string quartet, and here the Silesian Quartet gives us the world premiere recording of that version.

Tracklist 15 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 String Quartet No. 1, Op. 62, "Już się zmierzcha" (Already It Is Dusk) 16:00
    Track
    1
    Title
    String Quartet No. 1, Op. 62, "Już się zmierzcha" (Already It Is Dusk)
    Duration
    16:00
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  3. 2 I. Largo. Sostenuto - Mesto - 07:41
    Track
    2
    Title
    I. Largo. Sostenuto - Mesto -
    Duration
    07:41
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  4. 3 II. Deciso. Energico - 07:30
    Track
    3
    Title
    II. Deciso. Energico -
    Duration
    07:30
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  5. 4 III. Arioso: Adagio cantabile ma molto espressivo e molto appassionato 07:52
    Track
    4
    Title
    III. Arioso: Adagio cantabile ma molto espressivo e molto appassionato
    Duration
    07:52
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  6. 5 IV. Allegro. Sempre con grande passione e molto marcato 09:48
    Track
    5
    Title
    IV. Allegro. Sempre con grande passione e molto marcato
    Duration
    09:48
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  7. Disc 2
  8. 1 I. Adagio - Molto andante - Cantabile 10:36
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Adagio - Molto andante - Cantabile
    Duration
    10:36
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  9. 2 II. Largo cantabile 12:05
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Largo cantabile
    Duration
    12:05
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  10. 3 III. Allegro, sempre ben marcato 04:39
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro, sempre ben marcato
    Duration
    04:39
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  11. 4 IV. Deciso - Espressivo ma ben tenuto 12:06
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Deciso - Espressivo ma ben tenuto
    Duration
    12:06
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  12. 5 V. Largo - Tranquillo 13:26
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Largo - Tranquillo
    Duration
    13:26
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  13. 6 No. 1. Hej, z góry, z góry! (Hey Down the hill) 04:16
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 1. Hej, z góry, z góry! (Hey Down the hill)
    Duration
    04:16
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  14. 7 No. 2. Ciamna nocka, ciamna (The Night is Dark and Deep) 03:12
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 2. Ciamna nocka, ciamna (The Night is Dark and Deep)
    Duration
    03:12
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  15. 8 No. 3. Wcoraj, dzlwcyno, nie dzisiaj (Yesterday Dear Girl) 04:51
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 3. Wcoraj, dzlwcyno, nie dzisiaj (Yesterday Dear Girl)
    Duration
    04:51
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  16. 9 No. 4. Z Torunia ja parobecek (A Farmhand I Be) 02:11
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 4. Z Torunia ja parobecek (A Farmhand I Be)
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet
  17. 10 No. 5. Wyszła burzycka, bandzie desc (Storm Is Coming, Rain Will Fall) 08:01
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 5. Wyszła burzycka, bandzie desc (Storm Is Coming, Rain Will Fall)
    Duration
    08:01
    Composer
    Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    Ensemble
    Silesian Quartet