Album: Schonberg Ensemble, Reinbert de Leeuw, Górecki: Kleines Requiem für eine Polka; Lerchenmusik (Newton Classics)

4.00

Reviewed by Andy Gill

Friday 29 April 2011

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This is a rather Messiaen-ic study in contrasts: the opening five minutes is almost supernaturally calm and quiet, suddenly shattered by a shrill burst of violins and chimes that disappears as enigmatically as it appeared, shifting between extremes of amplitude; in the second movement, a brash tumult of horns gives way to solitary clarinet, underpinned by doomy piano monochord, while the finale is almost completely stationary and barely audible, a still string pad with wanly tolling chimes.

"Lerchenmusik" features a similarly startling blend of calm and stridency, before the final movement offers a gloss on the theme of Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto.

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