Search - H. Gorecki :: Gorecki: Symphony #3

Symphony No. 3 is one of my all time favorite pieces of clas

Joshua D. Hall | New Hampshire | 07/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first time I heard Gorecki's 3rd Symphony, "Symphony of Sorrowfull Songs" I was in a music theory class in college. The piece begins with the basses playing the theme which is passed and transposed in a canonic form until the whole orchestra is playing. It is one theme but like an intricate weaving, it is loaded with detail, emotion, and never sounds the same way twice. Half way through this first movement, the soprano enters. She sings in Polish and I have no idea what she is saying, but it doesn't matter because the feeling she is conveying transcends words. The music builds and builds to one of the most exhilarating climaxes in all of music. And then the piece begins its slow return to the original theme played by the basses. The rest of the symphony and everything else Gorecki has written is o.k., probably 2 or 3 stars, but I would pay full price just for this movement (1st movement), it is that good. Turn the lights off, put the headphones on and just listen."