Lutoslawski : Œuvres orchestrales, Vol. 2. Gardner.

Piano International (Mar, 2012)
The latest release in Chandos’ fine Lutos?awski series includes two works for solo piano and orchestra (the Paganini Variations is an arrangement commissioned by Felicia Blumenthal of Lutos?awski’s original for two pianos and orchestra). The early orchestral Symphonic Variations (1936-38) shows a strong influence of Szymanowski and early Stravinsky. The Piano Concerto (written for Krystian Zimerman, who premiered it at the 1988 Salzburg Festival) is a fascinating, appealing work: it begins with typically Lutos?awskian chattering from the orchestra. Lortie, sensitive to the score, is magnificently scurrying in the second movement, and Gardner is hyper-keen of response, too. Together, Lortie and Gardner convey the multitude of moods here, including the darkness of …