Górecki: Miserere

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Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

Composed during a period of Polish national upheaval in 1981, Miserere is unique among Górecki’s works in its overtly political inspiration. Written for unaccompanied choir, the piece demonstrates the composer’s interest in choral music and his penchant for large-scale, gradually evolving structures. Also included are additional Górecki choral works, with performances by the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Lira Chamber Chorus. 

Description

Composed during a period of Polish national upheaval in 1981, Miserere is unique among Górecki’s works in its overtly political inspiration. Written for unaccompanied choir, the piece demonstrates the composer’s interest in choral music and his penchant for large-scale, gradually evolving structures. Also included are additional Górecki choral works, with performances by the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Lira Chamber Chorus. 

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Philip Waldway
Recorded April 25-27, 1994, at St. Mary of the Angels Church, Chicago
Eugineered by Henk Kooistra, Soundmirror, Boston, Massachusetts
Edited and mixed by Kees de Visser, Galaxy Studios, Mol, Belgium

Design: John Heiden
Cover photographs by Jim Bengston

Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

Nonesuch Selection Number

79348

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
51
ns_album_id
160
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
Henryk Górecki
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Section leaders: Mary Ann Beatty, soprano; Gail Friesema, Kathye Kerchner, alto; Edward K. Osaki, James P. Yarbrough, tenor; Charles M. Olson, Kip Snyder, bass
Chicago Lyric Opera Chorus
Lira Chamber Chorus
Lucy Ding, conductor

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
UPC
075597934823BUN
Label
MP3
Price
9.00
UPC
603497099160
  • 79348

News & Reviews

  • Polish composer Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, was released on Nonesuch Records 25 years ago today, April 24, 1992. Górecki had composed the piece in 1976, but it didn't appear on disc until then. The recording of the emotionally affecting piece, featuring soprano Dawn Upshaw and the London Sinfonietta led by conductor David Zinman, proved spellbinding to a diverse international audience, becoming the highest-selling album ever by a contemporary composer. "Perhaps people find something they need in this piece of music," Górecki speculated. "Somehow I hit the right note, something they were missing."

  • Today marks the release of the late Henryk Górecki’s final composition, Symphony No. 4, Tansman Episodes, recorded during the 2014 world premiere performance at Royal Festival Hall with London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrey Boreyko. The piece, incomplete at the time of Górecki’s death, had precise indications for orchestration, which Górecki’s son Mikolaj, also a composer, used to complete it. NPR calls it "an intriguing summation of the sounds of a singular career." Symphony No. 4 is out individually and as part of Henryk Górecki: A Nonesuch Retrospective, a seven-disc box set containing all Nonesuch recordings of Górecki works. Also out now: the first vinyl LP of the beloved 1992 Nonesuch recording of Górecki’s Symphony No. 3.

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  • About This Album

    Composed during a period of Polish national upheaval in 1981, Miserere is unique among Górecki’s works in its overtly political inspiration. Written for unaccompanied choir, the piece demonstrates the composer’s interest in choral music and his penchant for large-scale, gradually evolving structures. Also included are additional Górecki choral works, with performances by the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Lira Chamber Chorus. 

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Chicago Symphony Chorus
    Section leaders: Mary Ann Beatty, soprano; Gail Friesema, Kathye Kerchner, alto; Edward K. Osaki, James P. Yarbrough, tenor; Charles M. Olson, Kip Snyder, bass
    Chicago Lyric Opera Chorus
    Lira Chamber Chorus
    Lucy Ding, conductor

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Philip Waldway
    Recorded April 25-27, 1994, at St. Mary of the Angels Church, Chicago
    Eugineered by Henk Kooistra, Soundmirror, Boston, Massachusetts
    Edited and mixed by Kees de Visser, Galaxy Studios, Mol, Belgium

    Design: John Heiden
    Cover photographs by Jim Bengston

    Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz