FELIKS NOWOWIEJSKI (1877-1946): Symphonic Poems:  Beatrix, Op. 17/1, Nina and Pergolesi, Op. 17/2, Overtures: to the Oratorio The Return of the Prodigal Son, Op. 3, to the Opera The Legend of the Baltic Sea, Op. 28 and to the Opera-Ballet The King of the Winds, Op. 37.

Description: Here we have the young Nowowiejski in the three lowest opus numbers, which date from 1902-03, while the opera overtures are from 1924 and 1927. There are already Gallic colors in the Op. 3 and suggestions of Szymanowski but stylistically, the composer is much more attuned to Germanic late Romanticism than in his symphonies above. The orchestration is rich and often reminiscent of organ registration (Nowowiejski was an organist first) but striking moments of color occur like the cadenza-like passage for solo violin in Op. 3 and winds and brass have much to do as the composer prefers to vary a theme harmonically and texturally rather than develop them in the usual fashion. There’s a lot to like here and you will want to listen to this disc repeatedly. Józef Elsner Opole Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra; Przemysław Neumann.