London Symphony Orchestra & Valery Gergiev - Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4, Stabat Mater (2013/2018) [Hi-Res]

This second, star-studded instalment of Gergiev’s Szymanowski cycle features Toby Spence as soloist in the Third Symphony, ‘Song of the Night’ and internationally renowned pianist, Denis Matsuev in the virtuosic ‘Symphonie concertante’, Symphony No 4. Szymanowski’s deeply personal choral work, 'Stabat Mater', completes the cycle and stars Sally Matthews and Ekaterina Gubanova, and introduces the young baritone, Kostas Smoriginas to LSO Live listeners.

For decades Szymanowski’s music was rarely heard outside Poland. Today, he is recognised as one of Poland’s greatest musical figures. His desire to embody the music of his native land and his incorporation of the folkloric sounds of the Polish mountains make his orchestral works a must for anyone with an interest in Polish culture and music.

Szymanowski’s Third Symphony is a musical setting of a 13th-century poem written during his second, Franco-Arabic period and combines the influences of Wagner, Chopin and Scriabin. The 'Stabat Mater' is derived from poet Józef Jankowski’s translation of the medieval poem about the grieving mother of Christ. Symphony No 4, one of Szymanowski’s last compositions, was dedicated to Arthur Rubinstein and is a piano concerto in all but name.

In September Valery Gergiev will travel to Rotterdam for the Rotterdam Phiharmonic Gergiev Festival, before opening The Met season with 'Eugene Onegin'. In October Gergiev will commence his Berlioz cycle with the LSO, with performances in the UK, Germany, France and Austria.

"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 Ravelian sensibility. Certainly Matsuev and Gergiev go all out to turn the finale into Szymanowski's danse generale." (Gramophone Magazine)

"The [Stabat Mater] is beautiful and Gergiev has the full measure of its 23 gorgeous minutes." (MusicWeb International)

Toby Spence, tenor
Denis Matsuev, piano
Sally Matthews, soprano
Ekaterina Gubanova, mezzo-soprano
Kostas Smoriginas, baritone
London Symphony Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, conductor
Simon Halsey, conductor