Par VAUGHAN WILLIAMS RALPH. Vaughan Williams arrived in Paris in 12th December 1907 so that he could have lessons with Maurice Ravel. This is the first of his works to demonstrate the effects of these lessons which, as he wrote to Michael Calvocoressi after his return to London, 'helped me and taught me more than I imagined was possible'. Although works written not long after his Paris sojourn show signs of what he has learnt in Paris, Whisper of Heavenly Death seems to be the only surviving work that was actually started and completed while he was still having the lessons and was therefore probably written at Ravel's instigation. This is rather borne out by the piece's chromatic style and dark orchestral colouring. The work is now published for the first time under the auspices of The Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust./ Répertoire / Baryton et Orchestre

Chinesische Lieder. Par PENDERECKI KRZYSZTOF. The history of the symphony is full of curiosities, ranging from works that are extremely long or scored for extensive instrumental forces to those of dubious authorship. There are also famous symphonies labelled as No. 0, works with alternate or multiple opus numbers, and a wealth of ‘unfinished’ symphonies. Krzysztof Penderecki’s 6. Sinfonie can also be included in this category, since his Seventh and Eighth were completed decades ago. This work is comprised of eight songs on Chinese texts connected by solo intermezzos played on the Chinese stringed instrument, erhu. As in his two preceding works, the focus here is on vowels. This work, however, is scored for smaller orchestral forces and possesses a more intimate chamber music character, at times with greater melancholy than before. Penderecki has declared this symphony to be his farewell from the genre, although we know from experience that anything is possible with symphonies./ Répertoire / Baryton et Orchestre