Lutosławski – Concerto for Orchestra; Partita; Novelette
Christian Tetzlaff; Finnish RSO; Nicholas Collon
Ondine ODE 1444-2 (chandos.net/products/catalogue/OD%201444)
Witold Lutosławski is a composer we tend to forget about: not a candidate for the desert island, perhaps, but unquestionably a creator of excellent music. This disc presents three of his works for orchestra: the well-known Concerto for Orchestra from 1954 along with the Partita for Violin and Orchestra (1988) with Christian Tetzlaff as soloist, and the rarely heard Novelette completed in 1979.
The playing under Nicholas Collon, the first non-Finn to be named music director of the Finnish Radio Symphony, brims with energy and commitment. The sound quality is outstanding: every section of the orchestra is vividly portrayed and the overall sound is balanced and warm without losing the smallest detail. Lutosławski’s mastery of drama is evident throughout, from the gripping opening of the Concerto to its Hitchcock-like finale and even in the lesser-known works on this disc.
The Partita was written first for violin and piano in 1984 and works very well for orchestra, giving Tetzlaff ample opportunity for virtuosity with many colourful moments for the orchestra. The Novelette is a fascinating series of miniature, highly dramatic episodes placed between brutalist bookends.
Throughout, Lutosławski shows his gift for inventive combinations and surprising turns of phrase, portrayed in complex language without ever crossing into the incomprehensible. This is dark and serious music, beautifully performed.
