Not a Happy Symphony
This seems the ideal "big piece" for this Monday in the 'remembrance season'. This is not something written specifically for such a purpose - but it does reflect on the effect of wars.
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Until this became extremely widely known in the 1990s (largely because of this recording) I hadn't heard of Gorecki. In the same way as composers such as Vaughan Williams evoke an 'English' atmosphere, so for me this is very much a Central European sound.
It is not a 'cheery' piece of music - the title "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs" sort of gives that away - but it does contain a lot of lovely moments. - and ultimately it leave a positive feeling.
