SACD, Szymanowski (composer)
-
Béla Bartók: Sonatas Nos 1 & 2 For Violin & Piano; Karol Szymanowski: Mythes
RecommendedFrank Peter Zimmermann (violin), Dmytro Choni (piano)
In addition to his absolute technical mastery of these challenging scores, there's a purity to his performances of Bartók's music that comes, I think, from his ability to eschew extremes without... —
Awards:
-
Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2025
-
Opus Klassik Awards, 2026, Winner - Solo Instrumental Recording
-
-
The young British pianist Clare Hammond is fast building a reputation as a stylish interpreter of the new or less familiar... The real interest is the set of six Etudes by Unsuk Chin (b.1961),... —
Awards:
-
The Times Records of the Year, 2018
-
-
Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 & Concert Overture
Louis Lortie (piano)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
These performances prove ideal, finding luminosity at the opening, and delivering a taut, energetic fugal finale...In the oberek dance rhythms of the orgiastic finale, Gardner shows how he has... —
Awards:
-
BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2014, Orchestral Finalist
-
Gramophone Magazine, March 2013, Editor's Choice
-
-
Szymanowski’s substantial Violin Sonata is the earliest work on this new release featuring his music for violin and piano, and receives the most satisfying performance here. Sueye Park and Roland... —
-
Hammond casts her net with a flairfulness and acuity ‘rich in contrast’ (to purloin Sofia Gubaidulina’s description of her 1963 Chaconne which, under Hammond’s exhilaratingly determined fingers,... —
Awards:
-
International Classical Music Awards, 2022, Nominated - Solo Instrument
-
-
Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3
Ben Johnson (tenor)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus, Edward Gardner
The BBC Symphony Chorus sings with languid exaltation, yet it is the orchestral detail that impresses most here, right from the still, mystery-laden opening...Gardner conducts with such conviction... —
-
Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos 3 & 4 & Stabat Mater
Toby Spence (tenor), Denis Matsuev (piano), Sally Matthews (soprano), Ekaterina Gubanova (mezzo) & Kostas Smoriginas (baritone)
London Symphony Orchestra, with London Symphony Chorus, Valery Gergiev
Matsuev has his feet...firmly planted on terra firma, the edgier writing displaying more of a kinship with Bartok until the gorgeous return to lushness in the second movement suggests an almost... —
-
-
Szymanowski & Karlowicz: Violin Concertos
Tasmin Little (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
This programme makes undeniable sense. All three works were written in the space of around 30 years, and their composers shared a love of the Tatra Mountains…[Little] doesn’t initially let herself... —
-
Szymanowski: Stabat Mater & Harnasie
Lucy Crowe (soprano), Pamela Helen Stephen (mezzo-soprano) & Gabor Bretz (baritone), Robert Murray (tenor)
BBC Symphony Chorus & BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
Once again, Edward Gardner shows that he excels in Szymanowski's rich orchestral tapestries. This performance mixes wild mystery with coruscating brilliance, somehow managing - despite being... —
