Penderecki: Symphony 8 - Dies Irae / Aus Den Psalmen Davids

Product Description Penderecki's Eighth Symphony, which here receives its world premiere recording, is a setting of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century German poems entitled Lieder der Verganglichkeit . Mankind's journey though life, as reflected in the decay and rebirth Review 10/10: Antoni Wit's Naxos recordings, particularly those of contemporary music, have been almost uniformly splendid, and this one is no exception. He summons terrific playing from the orchestra, has a brilliant and enthusiastic choir at his disposal, and has assembled a very impressive team of soloists, especially soprano Michaela Kaune, baritone Wojtek Drabowicz, and tenor Richard Minkiewicz. Singing this stuff isn't easy, but they make it seem so. The sonics capture the music's massive climaxes as well as its more ethereal moments in natural balance, and with plenty of head room. In short, this disc makes an ideal introduction to Penderecki's art, and to his vocal music in particular. It covers his entire creative life thus far, and offers compelling evidence of just how fine a composer he was, and remains. -- ClassicsToday.com, David Hurwitz, December 2008