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Although he left the merest handful of compositions at his seemingly accidental death in an avalanche while skiing, Mieczysław Karłowicz ranks among the most important Polish composers of his generation. He is best known today for his sumptuously Romantic symphonic poems (8570452, 8570295).
Karłowicz completed his most ambitious work, the ‘Rebirth’ Symphony, in 1903. Like Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony which was premièred the following year (8550523-24), it evokes the soul’s spiritual struggle against fate from tragedy to triumph. The resplendent Prologue from Karłowicz’s music for the play The White Dove leads to a serene Intermezzo.
Polish conductor Antoni Wit brings out the brooding, portentous and lyrical characteristics of his compatriot’s richly orchestrated yet seldom-heard scores.
Mieczyslaw Karlowicz: Symphony in E minor, Op. 7, "Odrodzenie" (Rebirth)
I. Andante - Allegro
II. Andante non troppo
III. Vivace - Molto meno mosso - Tempo I
IV. Allegro maestoso - Allegro ben moderato
Mieczyslaw Karlowicz: Bianca da Molena, Op. 6
Prologue
Intermezzo (Scenenmusik)
August 2011
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“The handful of [Karlowicz's] works that survive would do credit to any major late Romantic composer...Wit has proved his mettle in fine recordings of Karlowicz's symphonic poems and does not disappoint here. He has a genuine feel for the structure of the Symphony and handles the bright colours in the two pieces of incidental music to the White Dove superbly.”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.