Search - David Zinman, Andrew Crowley, London Sinfonietta :: Henryk Mikolaj Górecki: Kleines Requiem für Eine Polka (Little Requiem for a Polka), Op. 66 (1993) / Concerto for Harpsichord & String Orchestra, Op. 40 (1980) / Good Night, Op. 63 (1990) - London Sin

Gorecki at his finest

Paris Guffey | New Orleans, USA | 12/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD offers a broad range of styles that showcase Gorcki's talent as a composer. The three pieces on this CD have something for everyone.The Requiem starts out slow and sublime and as soft as his 3rd Symphony, then gradually builds up, abruptly changes tempo, and reels into a fast polka in two. The polka is just marvelous, sounding demented and joyous at the same time. Repeated notes in dissonance underlying a melody played on violin and clarinet a half step apart makes for a suprisingly delightful and fun time. Then, after the polka, the sublime takes over once more and we are calmed again.Most of Gorecki's music has a shape like a bell curve - start out soft and slow, build up, and end up soft. The harpsichord concerto is all build up, and it is excitement through and through. One can easily imagine little goblins running around the notes of the keyboard. This piece is upbeat and really fun, and you could easily imagine it being the score for some scary movie.If the concerto is all build up, then Good Night is all sublime. This piece is slow and somber and there is no big climax. Set for solo piano, solo flute, and solo voice, Good Night is soothing enough for a baby. This piece is about half and half dissonance and traditional harmony, and it blends together very nicely.This is a superb recording for any Gorecki fan, or anyone looking for something different."

The powerful Polish gaze!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 08/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kleines Requiem für eine polka written in memory of the composer' s mother in 1971. It's work of intimate mood evidently of introspective character with outbursts of absolute meditation, exacerbated concentration and restrained rage, enrooted in the innermost church-song and folk songs traditions.

The second movement is an obsessive of remarkable minimalist character. The fourth movement -Adagio Cantabile- reminds us powerfully to one of the most known folk songs previously employed by Bartok in his famous Rumanian Folk Dances loaded with serene calmness and nocturnal character.

It was recorded on February 12, 1994 at Henry Wood Hall, London.

The Concerto for harpsichord and string orchestra is very brief. The first of the two movements is a lively and obsessive melody with anguishing atmosphere; the last one is equally tense but dynamically stronger and minimalist approach.

It was recorded on December 17, 1994 at All Saints Church, Surrey, England.

Good Night is a very poignant piece in memoriam of Michael Vyner dead on Ocotber 20 1989, the sketch composition was completed on 19 February 1990 and the definitive score on March 9 1990. this work is for Soprano, alto flute, 3 tam-tams and piano.

Recorded June 5,1995 at Henry Wood Hall, London.

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