- Symphony No. 2 (Górecki)
The Symphony No. 2, 'Copernican', Op. 31 ("II Symfonia 'Kopernikowska')" [audio|Henryk Gorecki 2nd symph 2nd Movement.ogg|Listen] was written in 1972 by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of the astronomer
Nicolaus Copernicus . Written in a monumental style for solo soprano,baritone ,choir andorchestra , it features text fromPsalms no. 145, 6 and 135 as well as an excerpt from Copernicus' book "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium ".Comprised of two movements, a typical performance lasts 35 minutes. The symphony was commission by the
Kosciuszko Foundation in New York, and presented an early opportunity for Górecki to reach an audience outside of his native Poland. As was usual, he undertook extensive research on the subject, and was in particular concerned on the philosophical implications of Copernicus's discovery, not all of which he viewed as positive.Thomas (1997), p.74] As Norman Davies commented: "His discovery, of the earth's motion round the sun, caused the most fundamental revolutions possible in the prevailing concepts of the human predicament". [Davies, Norman. "God's Playground: A history of Poland". Oxford, 1981. p.150]Discography
The Second Symphony has been performed and recorded less than some of his other work (certainly less than his Symphony No. 3), in part because it demands a particularly large orchestra, as well as soprano and baritone soloists, and a large choir.Perlez, Jane. "Henryk Gorecki". "New York Times",
27 February ,1994 .]However, more than one different interpretation of the Symphony No. 2 is available on compact disk. The most readily available is the
Naxos Records CD of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Katowice, the Polish Radio Choir and the Silesian Philharmonic Choir with soloists Zofia Kilanowicz and Andrzej Dobber, conducted byAntoni Wit , which includes Beatus Vir.The Stradivarius CD of Tamás Pál conducting the Fricsay Symphony Orchestra and Bartok Chorus, with soloist vocalists Emese Soós and Tamás Altorjay, also pairs Symphony No. 2 with Beatus Vir. "
BBC Music Magazine " would've recommend the disc if "the unfamiliar Hungarian forces, performing for a little-known Italian label, not been so ill-at-ease, and had the recording been of professional standard." [Keith Potter, " [http://www.bbcmusicmagazine.com/reviewRead.asp?id=25901 CD Reviews: Gorecki Symphony No. 2 (Copernican); Beatus vir. Emese Soós (soprano), Tamás Altorjay (baritone) Bartók Chorus, Fricsay SO/Tamás Pál] " "BBC Music Magazine" Accessed 13 March 2008]ources
*Thomas, Adrian. "Gorecki" (Oxford Studies of Composers). Clarendon Press, April 1997. ISBN 0-1981-6394-0
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