Three Polish Voices, One Bold Sound

This album has a simple program. Yet it's one with complexity and depth. Thomas Sondergaard has collected three works by 20th-century Polish composers. The three composers have a shared musical heritage. Yet each chooses a different way to express it. 

Graznia Bacewicz wrote her "Overture for Orchestra" in 1943. It's a bustling, energetic work. Without context, it can seem celebratory. But Bacewicz composed it during the Nazi occupation. The intent was defiance. And that's the attitude the Royal Scottish National Orchestra delivers.

Symphony No. 3 by Witold Lutosławski challenges differently. This 1983 work features limited aleatorism. That is, specified instruments play notated patterns for a set length of time. But the speed and frequency of the repetitions are up to the performers. Most of these sections have several groups of instruments playing different patterns. The way they interrelate changes with every performance.

The symphony is a difficult work to perform. The balance between control and freedom has to be just right. And it is here. I think the orchestra's performance here is the best on the album.

Karol Szymanowski's "Fantasy on King Roger" is the most traditional work on the album. The music was derived from his 1926 opera, "King Roger." The score is an exotic blend of  Mediterranean music, Gregorian chant, and Polish classicism. Sondergaard leads the RSNO in a spirited and nuanced performance. 

A fine album of music. And one that demonstrates just how diverse the music of a single country can be.

Bacewicz, Lutoslawski, Szymanowski

Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Thomas Sondergaard, conductor

Linn CKD 758