Symphony No. 3, "Organ"

SKU: HL.49018082

ISBN 9790001168809. UPC: 884088535094. 9.0x12.0x0.2 inches.

Each organ symphony by Enjott Schneider has its own colour and its own theme. Organ Symphony No. 7 'Von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit' is dominated by the theme of 'time': from the flowing rumbling of time in ancient beginnings ('In principio' - 1st movement) and periodic to the intellectually incomprehensible revolving ('Zeit der Sterne' - 2nd movement). After the third movement ('Zeit des Menschen'), a valse triste, infused by an almost humorous hectic atmosphere, the symphony ends with a kind of 'Amen!' in the fourth movement. Schneider sums it up: 'It is good as it is, we do not understand the course of time anyway.' With regard to style, his composition is based on elements of minimal music which he combines with the tradition of the European organ composition; it is at the same time a testimony to the composer's flexibility and versatility.

SKU: HL.49018083

ISBN 9790001168670. 9.0x12.0x0.24 inches.

In his Organ Symphony No. 8 'In Memoriam', following an idea of the cathedral organist Silvius von Kessel from Erfurt (and dedicatee of the work), Enjott Schneider carries on where Anton Bruckner left off, processes themes from the latter's Symphony No. 8 variatively and contrasts it to 'Haus-Choral des Erfurter Doms', 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme'. Bruckner's material is used as a starting point and further developed by Schneider in four movements: typically enough, the initial movement is called 'Metamorphosen' before an almost eerie atmosphere is created in a 'Scherzo sinistro'. The twelve-note series (in the third movement), embedded in a transcendental mood, eventually develops into the chorale which, now as main theme of the finale, amalgamates with Bruckner's stylistic moments and leads to a magnificent end - an exciting and rousing piece of music.

SKU: HL.14013003

ISBN 9780711934948. 11.75x8.25x0.06 inches.

Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki's career spans more than 40 years, dating from the post-Stalinist era of the mid 1950s and embracing a catalogue of more than 70 acknowledged works. It was not, however, until the phenomenal success of his third symphony, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs Op 36, which brought the composer world-wide renown through its numerous performances and recordings, that his music reached an extended audience outside his native Poland. Since then the directness and emotional impact of his music have established him as one of the major figures of contemporary music.