Górecki "Miserere" CD

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GÓRECKI
Miserere

Miserere. Op. 44
Amen, Op. 35
Euntes Ibant et Flebant, Op 32
Wislo Moja, Wislo Szara (“My Vistula, Grey Vistula”), Op. 46
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Chicago Lyric Opera Chorus
John Nelson, conductor

Szeroka Woda (“Broad Waters”), Op. 39
A Ta Nasza Narew
Oj, Kiedy Na Powislu
Oj, Janie, Janie
Polone Róze Rwala
Szeroka Woda
Lira Chamber Chorus
Lucy Ding, conductor

“Solid success . . . serenely beautiful and deeply moving …

Nelson is an expert choral technician, and under his vital direction …

their sound was full of expressive understanding,

resounding magnificently in the high-dome church.”

—John von Rhein,

Chicago Tribune, April 26, 1994

This historic SDG recording brought together the combined talents of the Lyric Opera Chorus and the Chicago Symphony Chorus for the first time for the North American premiere of Górecki's massive a cappella choral work Miserere. The performances and recording took place in Chicago's beautiful St. Mary of the Angel's Church, with the composer in attendance.

The success of the project was due in large part to the cooperative efforts of The Polish National Alliance who helped us highlight Górecki's music in a culturally relevant way, an effort which proved especially meaningful to the city's Polish community, the largest such community outside of Warsaw. Following the unprecedented widespread appeal of earlier Górecki recordings, the resultant CD titled Miserere quickly became a best-seller. Within weeks of its 1995 release on the Electra/Nonesuch label, Miserere found its way onto Billboard's top 10 classical chart and has since sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.

Conductor John Nelson with Henryk Górecki

LISTENERS' COMMENTS (on the “Miserere”)

“The vocal and emotional range of the piece are beyond description as it takes listeners from the depths of their souls.”

“[The Miserere nobis] is the purest, most emotional moment in music history I ever heard. It simply is breath-taking.”

“An atmospheric, intense and utterly compelling piece.”

“Conductor John Nelson is the perfect fit for this deeply spiritual work … His intuitive feel for the message heightens the complexity and subtlety of the expressiveness of this benchmark work.”

“This album contains some of the most emotionally heart wrenching music that I have ever heard.”

1994 Electra/Nonesuch