# Lutoslawski Recordings On Various Labels



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

My Lutoslawski collection is a bit haphazard and spread over a number of labels. I have his own recordings on EMI, and Philips which include the first three symphonies, concerto for orchestra, double concerto, etc. I have Salonen's Sony CD of symphonies 3 & 4. And a couple of Wit's CDs on Naxos. I've never heard any of Edward Gardner's recordings on Chandos. I'm interested in opinions on those volumes, and what you think are some of the best performances of his various pieces.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

This Accord CD has the rendition of the 1958 "Funeral Music" that I like most:










Deutsche Grammophon has an album conducted by Witold himself - https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/...awski-piano-concerto-zimerman-lutosawski-7072

I also have the Chicago under Barenboim on Erato:










Honestly, music by Lutoslawski has never been any personal favorite of mine so I'm not qualified enough to indicate which performances are superlative or otherwise.

My experience with Lutoslawski's music has been via the 'back door' - so to speak - because I had collected soundtracks prior to acquiring 20th-century contemporary & I learnt that a few film scores by Jerry Fielding were 'inspired' by Lutoslawski's writing so I investigated the above discs years after being acquainted with *The Outlaw Josey Wales* or *Chato's Land*.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Interesting! I didn't know about the Accord, and Erato recordings.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

I'm not going to deal with what's the best either. But rather share two LPs that introduced me to him and I still play with great affection:

Composer conducts "3 Poems of Michaux" while Jan Krenz conducts Symphony #1 & Postludium










Witold Rowicki conducts Concerto for Orchestra, Venetian Games & Funeral Music


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

> I'm not going to deal with what's the best.


Right you are, Vasks! I should have phrased the question as "what are your favorite performances."


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

starthrower said:


> My Lutoslawski collection is a bit haphazard and spread over a number of labels. I have his own recordings on EMI, and Philips which include the first three symphonies, concerto for orchestra, double concerto, etc. I have Salonen's Sony CD of symphonies 3 & 4. And a couple of Wit's CDs on Naxos. *I've never heard any of Edward Gardner's recordings on Chandos. I'm interested in opinions on those volumes*, and what you think are some of the best performances of his various pieces.


I have some of Gardner's volumes -
Orchestral Works (Polish Music Volume One)
Orchestral Works II (Polish Music Volume Three)
Orchestral Works III (Polish Music Volume Four)

In general I would say his performances tend to be attentive to details, achieving good transparency; where there are polyphonic lines they are clearly audible; while phrasing tends to be straightforward and subtle rather than contrasty or vivid, when compared to, say, the composer's own recordings.

Personally I would prefer a bit more grit, but everybody's preference is different.

I often found the BBCSO's strings on the soft side. There is no exception here.

Recording is good, in the typical warm Chandos style. It can also go comfortably loud and crisp when needed.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Thanks, Kiki! I do enjoy the grit and intensity of the composer's recordings. But I am a sucker for the lush sound and beautiful photography of the Chandos CDs.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I have the Gardner recordings and tend to go for them as a first choice - great sound, detailed performances but maybe a little well mannered in comparison to the composers own recordings which are the only others I know.
I am very happy to have both at hand.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

My memory has let me down again - there are a couple of discs on Ondine of Symphonies 1 - 4 by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hannu Lintu that I streamed last year. 
I found a note I had made and placed in the box of Gardner recordings reminding me to buy when funds permit.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Malx said:


> there are a couple of discs on Ondine of Symphonies 1 - 4 by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hannu Lintu that I streamed last year.


There's a live performance video of No.3 with Lintu on YT. I found it very exciting! I've watched Gardner conduct other pieces and he does strike me as rather well mannered.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

I am a huge fan and have many recordings of Lutosławski, including nearly all of his own recordings on EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, and Philips, as well as sundry others including Salonen. 

I find myself turning to the Gardner box the most often by far; it's superbly well recorded and vividly and strongly interpreted, strength with beauty, and plenty of bite when needed.

Lintu's symphonies cycle is on my "to hear" list—I have found him excellent over a wide range of 20th c. repertoire—but I've not heard it yet. I expect it is very good.

There are no "bad" Lutosławski recordings as far as I know. And of course his own can be considered authoritative.

ETA: the Antoni Wit series on Naxos is also top notch.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

> There are no "bad" Lutosławski recordings as far as I know. And of course his own can be considered authoritative.


Yeah! We're fortunate to have all of these good recordings by the composer, Wit, Salonen, Lintu, and Gardner. Although the sound is a bit thin on the Philips CD, the composer conducted symphony No.3 is riveting. As are many others on that set and EMI. I also love Wit's No.2 on Naxos.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

I just remembered there was a Rowicki disc on Philips I didn't keep. The performances were fine, but my recollection is that the recording quality was stuffy and dim. So I guess I don't recommend that one.

But yes, without any doubt, Lutosławski's own performances are terrific. 

I'm very glad it looks like Lutosławski is "in the repertoire" for many conductors and orchestras these days, especially the Concerto for Orchestra and Symphonies 3 & 4.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

It's a drag that I'll never hear music like this performed in my area. The occasional Bartok or Stravinsky piece is all we can hope for. Lutoslawski's piano concerto doesn't seem to get much attention. Maybe it's overshadowed by the cello concerto? But I find it to be a fine work. I have the Naxos CD, and the Zimerman.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Overall, the Naxos series is good and reasonably sufficient. As for others, they illustrate other facets of the works, but what I heard/have (EMI box, DG single release, Salonen/Sony, some Muza etc) didn't go miles ahead of the Naxos ones IMO. I have 4 recordings of the piano concerto, and enjoy all of them, but perhaps Zimerman/DG and Andsnes/EMI are slightly more nuanced than the Naxos one. But then, Poblocka/Accord has an interesting coupling with piano concertos by Panufnik and Pawel Szymanski too. As far as I remember, Salonen is also slightly more impressive in Symphony no.3 and no.4, than the Naxos.

I don't know any of Gardner's.

The Cikada quartet has a good recording of the String Quartet, combined with the best Crumb 'Black Angels' quartet recording I've heard, fresh and not too martial or aggressively "metallic".


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

I agree, Lutosławski's Piano Concerto is excellent. It's a pity piano soloists have the play the same warhorses over and over. I remember talking to Stephen Hough about his struggles in getting orchestras to let him play the Dvořák. Imagine: the _Dvořák Piano Concerto_ is too "unknown" for many concert organizers! But I got to perform it with him.

Anyway, I'm always stoked to hear any Lutosławski live. I heard the Chicago Symphony play his Concerto for Orchestra in 2019, Kirill Karabits conducting. It was just ok. The conductor was fine, and the strings were stellar, but the low brass ruined everything with some of the most crass, blatty paying I've ever heard in my life from a major orchestra.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

starthrower said:


> My Lutoslawski collection is a bit haphazard and spread over a number of labels. I have his own recordings on EMI, and Philips which include the first three symphonies, concerto for orchestra, double concerto, etc. I have Salonen's Sony CD of symphonies 3 & 4. And a couple of Wit's CDs on Naxos. I've never heard any of Edward Gardner's recordings on Chandos. I'm interested in opinions on those volumes, and what you think are some of the best performances of his various pieces.


I've had this boxset for a couple of years now. Can't recommend it enough.


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## Chatellerault (Apr 4, 2017)

For the Symphony no. 1 and Concerto for Orchestra, I think his own recordings are the best because the melodies all sound idiomatic, in the way that you expect a singer to sing well a folk tune in their own idiom. Not sure if I express myself well here: I mean in his first phase, much more influenced by folk music and Bartók, I like it to sound (rhytmically, expressively) like folk music and not like atonal music.

From the 2nd Symphony onward, it's quite different, of course, and then I'll care more about orchestral timbre than rhythmic subtleties. I didn't listen to all recordings, don't have a favourite yet, but I'm happy with Salonen/LA Philharmonic on Symphonies 2 to 4.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I just put on the Naxos disc with symphony no.2, and the piano concerto. The orchestration on that symphony is so interesting. Bought this disc about 10-11 years ago and I'd never heard a symphony like that before.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

My first Lutosławski was buying in 1989 a CD with his _Les Espaces du sommeil_ and Third Symphony, on Philips, Lutosławski conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker himself. It blew me away! And I still love it.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Knorf said:


> My first Lutosławski was buying in 1989 a CD with his _Les Espaces du sommeil_ and Third Symphony, on Philips, Lutosławski conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker himself. It blew me away! And I still love it.


Yeah! Killer performance. I bought the 2 CD Essential Lutoslawski on Philips which combines some of his recordings with Rowicki.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

I have a record with Lutoslawski's Liver Pour Orchestre on one side, and Baird's Symphony No. 3 on the other. The liner notes on the jacket criticized Baird for adhering to the "old" movement structure. Clearly, the writer of the notes belonged to the mid 20th Century school who believed tonality had outlived its usefulness. And must therefore be completely abandoned.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I've just listened to the 4th Symphony from Urbanski on the Alpha label pretty good on first listen.
(HiRes stream from Qobuz)


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

I don't quite understand why Lutoslawski is so neglected in the West. His work is just as good as Stravinsky's. I keep waiting for a "revival" to take place.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Knorf said:


> ......I heard the Chicago Symphony play his Concerto for Orchestra in 2019, Kirill Karabits conducting. It was just ok. The conductor was fine, and the strings were stellar, but _the low brass ruined everything with some of the most crass, blatty paying I've ever heard_ in my life from a major orchestra.


LOL!! I would have loved it!! Charlie Vernon/Pokorny, et al....yeh, they can really let it rip!! The conductor probably wanted it that way...


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

Heck148 said:


> LOL!! I would have loved it!! Charlie Vernon/Pokorny, et al....yeh, they can really let it rip!! The conductor probably wanted it that way...


He gave them the hand, and rightly so. They ignored it.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Knorf said:


> He gave them the hand, and rightly so. They ignored it.


I once heard first hornist, Dale Clevenger, say as much. That whenever "they" (the players) were not impressed enough by the guest conductor's leadership, "they" would do it "their" way.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

Vasks said:


> I once heard first hornist, Dale Clevenger, say as much. That whenever "they" (the players) were not impressed enough by the guest conductor's leadership, "they" would do it "their" way.


In this case, "their way" included the crassest out of tune, unbalanced, ugly sounds I've ever heard from an ensemble that wasn't a drunk college marching band.

ETA: luckily for this performance, the woodlands were very fine, the percussion outstanding, and the strings were beyond phenomenal. Really only the low brass sucked.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Vasks said:


> I once heard first hornist, Dale Clevenger, say as much. That whenever "they" (the players) were not impressed enough by the guest conductor's leadership, "they" would do it "their" way.


Most first rank orchestras are like that...they will play the way to which they are accustomed, unless the conductor can effectively impress upon them a different approach.


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