A fundamental corpus, in a remarkable interpretation

Although still unknown in France, Witold Lutoslawki is a fundamental composers of the second half of the twentieth century and his 4 symphonies recorded here, made between 1941 and 1993 provide an excellent overview of his stylistic evolution.

The first symphony is a remarkable exercise in style making rejoin the classic form (like neoclassical Stravinsky and Hindemith for example) and modern orchestral colors (Ravel and Gershwin in particular). In this symphony, Lutoslawski is in pure symphonic tradition (from Haydn to Brahms) without ever renouncing the modernity and its own expression, including announcing the immense toccatas future works. The Polish state will not deceive them and pass through the classical form to censor the symphony, accused of "formalism".

The second symphony gradually breaks with the classical form to test a structure in two linked movements, the first is wanting an introduction setting the viewer to the main motion. The language wants to be more modern with high importance desks brass and percussion, and traces of random experiments and serialist composer. Each movement is subdivided into many contrasting sections, now permanently awake the interest of the listener despite sometimes a certain aridity of language.

The third symphony, LOEUVRE before becoming the most famous and most played composer, required a long compositional process. The huge toccata be taken as the middle movement has been repeatedly put back on the job and interrupted before being completed and complemented by other episodes forming a symphony in one movement. Here we find the way to chain the composer contrasting episodes using the virtuosity of the orchestra. Lutoslawski also shows a remarkable melodist, creating a final "movement" magnificent and moving.

The fourth symphony, the composer's last major work, takes the form of the Second Symphony (first movement hesitant preparing for a second main movement). Here, the two parties are merged into one compact motion with dark colors. At the end of the symphony, the orchestra is dissolved, leaving only a violin solo with a few strings. A farewell to the world, hidden by a brief coda doing brilliantly reappear whole orchestra (a process similar though less frank already concluded the Third Symphony).

The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Esa-Pekka Salonen has forged close ties with the composer: creators of the fourth symphony and dedicatee of the short "Fanfare" for brass and percussion opening the CD (anecdotal piece well as sounds impressive). Integral has registered almost 30 years apart shows both the stylistic affinity with the composer interpreters style and flawless virtuosity of the orchestra in a formidable music (especially for brass and percussion). At most, we regret too bright sound, sometimes too American for that music. But this box does remains a reference, and a perfect introduction to the music of Lutoslawski.