# SS 22.12.18 Szymanowski #2



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening! 

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

Karol Szymanowski (1882 – 1937)

Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, op.19

1. Allegro moderato - Grazioso
2. Tema - Variazioni - Fuga


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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

This week we'll go with Szymanowski's Symphony no. 2. Following up on Mika's choice two weeks ago of Lutoslawski, and going with another Polish composer's symphony no. 2. Szymanowski's music is mystical and lyrical and at times powerful. However, I haven't listened to this piece in many, many years.

I'll listen to Dorati and Detroit


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I'll be listening to this one because it's the one I have. I see it's free to stream if you have Prime… BTW Wiki has a short entry on this symphony that tells somewhat of its history and form. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._2_(Szymanowski)


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

cougarjuno said:


> Karol Szymanowski (1882 - 1945)


He died in 1937. I also have the Dorati recording.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I'll listen to Gergiev here.


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

starthrower said:


> He died in 1937. I also have the Dorati recording.


thanks - changed


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I'll listen to the original Naxos recording, under Karol Stryja, but would be very interested in hearing comments on Wit, because I like him!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Robert Pickett said:


> I'll listen to the original Naxos recording, under Karol Stryja, but would be very interested in hearing comments on Wit, because I like him!


I'll be listening to the Wit, but it's very hard to comment on a conductor's performance of an unfamiliar work.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

D Smith said:


> I'll listen to Gergiev here.


I have this one, so it will be my choice


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I'll give the only recording I have on my shelves of this Symphony a spin if time permits over the weekend.

View attachment 110883


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I don't know where my Dorati CD is, so I'm listening to this EMI set I have. Other than the Concert Overture which doesn't do much for me, everything else in this set I find very satisfying. No. 2 is conducted by Kaspszyk.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

starthrower said:


> View attachment 110891
> 
> 
> I don't know where my Dorati CD is, so I'm listening to this EMI set I have. Other than the Concert Overture which doesn't do much for me, everything else in this set I find very satisfying. No. 2 is conducted by Kaspszyk.


I'm listening to the EMI recording also.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

D Smith said:


> I'll listen to Gergiev here.


Count me in with this version, a day late this week!


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

KenOC said:


> I'll be listening to this one because it's the one I have. I see it's free to stream if you have Prime… BTW Wiki has a short entry on this symphony that tells somewhat of its history and form. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._2_(Szymanowski)


This one for me too.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks for posting this one Cougarjuno. I spent last Thursday through Sunday pretty much sitting in a Hospice Facility to be with my better half and her grandfather as he passed away. They gave him 2 to 6 months 2 years ago and it was only in the last 3 months that he began his decline. He was a wonderful man and will be sadly missed. 

A lot of my absence over the last several months has been due to both things at work and his failing health. Now that he has past I should be returning to a more active participant as music to me is always an aid in the grieving process. 

I will mark this one off the list and will be giving the Wit recording a listen later this week. 

Thanks again to Mika and Cougarjuno for posting these in my absences and thanks to all who continue to participate.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Finally got a chance to listen to this. It was written in 1909 when Szymanowski was 27. It is in two movements, the first unitary and the second variegated.

The first movement is alternately lyrical and intense, sometimes a bit stormy. The opulent sound world is very much that of Richard Strauss.

The second movement is a theme followed by six variations and a substantial fugue. Tempi are kind of slow through Var. 2, and then Var. 3 is a perky scherzando. Var. 4 is another dance movement marked in the tempo of a gavotte. Var. 5 is marked in the tempo of a minuet, but has little of the expected character, being largely inward and thoughtful. Var. 6, the shortest of the set, is mostly faster and a bit brash.

The final fugue is based on a somewhat awkward and definitely non-linear theme, developed first in the strings and then bringing in the other instruments. There is a slower central episode after which the tempo picks back up. The fugue ends with a big orchestral peroration very much in the major mode.

A worthy listen, though the rather vague thematic content (similar to many works of this period) means that it won't be on my regular visiting list. Also, maybe Szymanowski might benefit from a partial genetic (or glandular?) transplant from Franz Liszt so that he could be at least a _little _over-the-top, or even from Britten, whose _Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell_ is, for me, a lot better listening!


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