Exotic worlds
Szymanowski's 3rd symphony is an exotic marvel, a mystic evocation of "Arabian nights" that's some distance away from the picture-postcard orientalism of, say, Rimsky's Scheherazade. The music is at turns calm, lush, and ecstatic, with some huge climaxes and a ghostly finish. Tenor and choir are merged within the orchestral texture. I've also got Simon Rattle's EMI recording and although his sound is better, it's Wit who's best at capturing the mystery. The 2nd symphony, not as unusually structured as it first seems, and influenced by Reger, Strauss, and Scriabin, isn't as wonderful but is entertaining. A shame it's broken into so many tracks.
