deFilharmonie . World Brass . Martin Yates

Henryk Górecki (b. 1933), Marcin Blazewicz (b. 1953) and Malcolm Arnold (b. 1921) are your hosts in a concert that swings between whispering minimalism, swirling tension and vigorous grandeur. Górecki wrote his 'Three Olden Style Pieces' in 1963. The surging sounds of strings, unpretentious harmonies, unabashedly yearning melodies and above all a gradual increase in intensity make it clear that the 'Three... Pieces' are in more than one sense a foretaste of his much-hyped but stunning Third Symphony from 1976. The fact that not every Pole thinks in an intimist manner is proven by the robust 'Concerto for large brass ensemble and orchestra' by Blazewicz. This Polish composer wrote this explosive and pumping concerto for deFilharmonie's fiftieth anniversary and for World Brass. But the most grandeur is displayed by Arnold's rarely performed Seventh Symphony. Among the nine symphonies by this prolific English composer this one occupies a unique position between the jazzy Sixth and the indecisive Eighth. From the stammering, bitonal and sarcastic opening section to the deceptively folk-like closing movement, Arnold's Seventh is undoubtedly his most emotional and profound symphony.