Witold Lutosławski (1913 - 94); 22-26/1/18

[Beef Oven!]

Thanks Jayne, a most interesting perspective. I shall cogitate.

Btw, I just ordered a pre-cherished CD of the Salonen/LA Philharmonic for £3.33.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A repeat of this series from 13 months ago for next week's programmes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ngnlp

[Serial_Apologist]

A repeat of this series from 13 months ago for next week's programmes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ngnlp

Witold you so!

[Mal]

Lutoslawski!

Lutosławski?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Lutosławski?

Strictly speaking, yes - although not all devices accommodate such alt-coded letters. And it isn't included on the Beeb's CotW website - nor on any of the five scores that he autographed for me, so not essential. (Swapping the "i" for a "y", as if the composer were Russian, rather than Polish, isn't "on", though.)

[Serial_Apologist]

Strictly speaking, yes - although not all devices accommodate such alt-coded letters. And it isn't included on the Beeb's CotW website - nor on any of the five scores that he autographed for me, so not essential. (Swapping the "i" for a "y", as if the composer were Russian, rather than Polish, isn't "on", though.)

Enough of this name-dropping, ferney!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Enough of this name-dropping, ferney!

Jus' sayin' ...

[LMcD]

I really enjoyed today's edition of 'Composer Of The Week'. I think Lutoslawski's Paganini Variations are every bit as good as Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on the same theme.

[Serial_Apologist]

I really enjoyed today's edition of 'Composer Of The Week'. I think Lutoslawski's Paganini Variations are every bit as good as Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on the same theme.

I imagine they were probably intended as a bit of a satire on the latter.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I imagine they were probably intended as a bit of a satire on the latter.

Not really - they began as a "straight" transcription of the Paganini solo violin Caprice, but Lutos' own creativity got the better of him (and of Paganini). They are the (?only?) survivor of a set of transcriptions that he and Panufnik made during the Nazi occupation of Poland; "proper", "classical" Music was forbidden, but cafés and bars could have pianists playing - the two composers got round the ban by smuggling works from the Western Classical Tradition into their work as a Café duo. (I think that satirising Rachmaninoff was pretty low down in their priorities! )

[Serial_Apologist]

Not really - they began as a "straight" transcription of the Paganini solo violin Caprice, but Lutos' own creativity got the better of him (and of Paganini). They are the (?only?) survivor of a set of transcriptions that he and Panufnik made during the Nazi occupation of Poland; "proper", "classical" Music was forbidden, but cafés and bars could have pianists playing - the two composers got round the ban by smuggling works from the Western Classical Tradition into their work as a Café duo. (I think that satirising Rachmaninoff was pretty low down in their priorities! )

I knew about the Lutoslawski-Panufnik piano duo. I understand they would sometimes perform jazz, which wouldn't have gone down well with the Nazi occupiers!

[frankbridge]

I admit that Lutoslawski's third symphony is his out and out masterpiece (I too have the Berlin Phil coupled with Fischer-Dieskau in 'Les Espaces du Sommeil' though not signed by the composer ) but I had the great good fortune to be on the front row of the arena at the Albert Hall proms when Luto conducted his own fourth symphony in its UK premiere many years ago. And incidently, he wrote a short piece for brass ensemble for a friend of mine and the trumpeter Philip Jones her husband too, the 'Mini Overture' which has been recorded on Chandos: well worth seeking out

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... incidently, he wrote a short piece for brass ensemble for a friend of mine and the trumpeter Philip Jones her husband too, the 'Mini Overture' which has been recorded on Chandos: well worth seeking out

Other performances are available on YoUTube, such as:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPsC-dwgwWY

(I envy your being at that Prom, by the way - wasn't it his last appearance in London?)

EDIT: By the way, the autographed CD cover isn't mine - I found it, and all the examples of the composer's signature on the Internet.

[BBMmk2]

I have the single disc recordings of Ed Gardner’s cycle on Chandos. Now, recently, they’ve boxed them up!!!