Disclaimer: First of all let me warn that I may not be objective as far as this recording is concerned since my own gusto has moved recently very significantly towards free jazz and avantgarde.
This album has very little in common with jazz idiom except for two saxmen playing: altoist Jerzy Główczewski ("Narrations") and tenorist Piotr Baron ("Consolation"). In a very daring move renown jazz pianist Krzysztof Herdzin decided to record wholly classical music for his 40th birthday. And this album shares all possible sins of classical music recordings of famous jazz musicians: it draws heavily on many influences immediately obvious to any listener to classical composers like in three part concertino clearly inspired by Prokofiev piano concertos No 3 and 4 (at least in my humble opinion). Other influences are American classical music composers (good observation by Piotr Kałuzny from Jazz Forum) like for example George Gershwin, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein whose Broadway style is evident in take of "Hymn o św. Albercie Chmielowskim" (BTW a bit funny yet original idea for hymn dedicated to Catholic saint).
But I admit that all these sins are redeemed by incredible sound the musicians managed to achieve in this recording which is first of all due to marvelous Sinfonia Varsovia: one of the best symphonic orchestras in Poland, here graciously directed by Krzysztof Herdzin himself. Tone they managed to attain is so lavish that it simply catapult whole project to stratosphere. All other players like Malicki on piano, Baron and Główczyński on saxophones plus vocalist Jacek Kotlarski adjust to this incredible level of musicianship as displayed by Simfonia Varsovia conducted by Herdzin (one must also appreciate very high level of recording & mixing by Tadeusz Mieczkowski).
So I can wholeheartedly recommend this record for any jazz lover interested in classics while as far as classical music fans it shall first of all appeal to fans inclined towards neo-clasissical idiom whom I can also recommend such Polish composers as late Penderecki, Kilar or Górecki.
Please, check artist web page for sample of his music.
Author: Maciej Nowotny
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