JOSÉ SEREBRIER (b.1938): Symphony No. 2 "Partita", Winterreise for Orchestra, Fantasia for Strings, Sonata for Solo Violin.

Description: An astonishingly versatile musician of great accomplishments, Serebrier here reveals himself to be a considerable composer in a tonal, 20th-century idiom that will appeal to lovers of the Scandinavian and American symphonists of thiss century. The Partita opens with a nonchalantly dancing movement using Latin rhythms, which is followed by a powerful and dramatic funeral march with echoes of Shostakovich, and perhaps Lutoslawski. The little interlude which follows is like a shocked reflection on the trauma of the previous movement, and the finale is a vigorous and exuberaant fugue, in which you may play "spot the quotation" if you wish. You can play this game again in Winterreise - or you can just enjoy the superb craftsmanship and expressive intensity of the music on the whole CD. London Philharmonic Orchestra; José Serebrier, Gonzalo Acost a (violin). Original 1999 Reference Recordings release (offered in our November 1999 catalogue - 11B077.)