Szymon Laks (1901 – 1983) : Chamber works (premiere recordings)
"Music in Exiles" Vol. 3
Chandos Records CHAN10983
ARC Ensemble (Artists of the Royal Conservatory)
Recorded:14-16 November 2016
Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory of Music, Telus Centre for Performance and Learning, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Released : 02June 2017
Total time: 83:04
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN 10983
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Born in Warsaw in 1901, Laks studied in Paris before being deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
He soon joined and conducted the Auschwitz orchestra (his auditioning with a ‘Jewish’ work – Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto – went unnoticed).
Although the trauma of his imprisonment left him alienated and reclusive, few of his works refer specifically to the Holocaust.
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Joaquin Valdepeñas - clarinet
Erika Raum - violin
Marie Bérard - violin *
Steven Dann - viola
Winoa Zelenka - cello
David Louie - piano †
Dianne Werner - piano ‡
Sarah Jeffrey - oboe
Frank Morelli - bassoon
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| String Quartet No.4 (1962) |
14:40 |
| 1. |
I. Allegro non troppo |
4:23 |
| 2. |
II. Andante sostenuto |
5:53 |
| 3. |
III. Quasi presto, con fuoco |
4:19 |
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| Divertimento (1967) for Violin, Clarinet, Bassoon and Piano *† |
13:25 |
| 4. |
I. Allegro non troppo quasi una marcia |
5:03 |
| 5. |
II. Andante - Allegretto subito - Tempo I |
4:33 |
| 6. |
III. Molto allegro e giocoso |
3:44 |
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| Sonatina for Piano (1927) - À Marie Lewkowicz † |
14:55 |
| 7. |
I. Moderato |
5:02 |
| 8. |
II. Scherzino. Vivace |
1:33 |
| 9. |
III. Lento non troppo - Molto tranquillo - Meno mosso |
2:49 |
| 10. |
IV. Allegro non troppo |
5:21 |
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| Concertino (1965) for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon |
13:26 |
| 11. |
I. Allegro scherzoso - Più mosso |
4:17 |
| 12. |
II. Andante meditativo - Un poco meno mosso |
3:25 |
| 13. |
III. Presto non troppo - Meno mosso e calando - Tempo I - Prestissimo |
5:38 |
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| Passacaille (1945) ‡ (Version with Clarinet of Vocalise for Voice (or Cello) and Piano) - À Hanna Radlinska |
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| 14. |
Andante - Poco meno mosso - Tempo I |
5:47 |
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| Quintet (1967) for Piano and Strings on Popular Polish Themes - Arrangements by the composer of String Quartet No.3 (1945) ‡ |
20:15 |
| 15. |
I. Allegro quasi presto - Meno mosso, un poco rubato - Un poco meno - Tempo I - A tempo (meno mosso) Tempo I |
4:41 |
| 16. |
II. Lento sostenuto - Un poco animato e rubato - Tempo, tranquillo |
6:23 |
| 17. |
III. Vivace non troppo - Tempo meno mosso - Da capo (senza replica) - Coda |
3:31 |
| 18. |
IV. Allegro moderato ma deciso - Un poco pesante ma a tempo - Più mosso e agitato |
5:31 |