Polish Symphony of Sorrowful Songs in Royal Albert Hall

Wednesday 4 September, 7.30pm

Programme:
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki: Symphony No. 3, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs (60 mins)

Artists:
Ruby Hughes soprano
Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä conductor

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Symphony of Sorrowful Songs was inspired  by a prayer inscribed on the wall of cell no. 3 in the basement of the Gestapo headquarters in Zakopane. The signature of Helena Wanda Blazusiakówna, and the words “18 years old, imprisoned since 26 September 1944″ were written under the prayer.

One of the songs  says:

No, Mother, do not weep,
Most chaste Queen of Heaven
Support me always.
“Zdrowas Mario / Ave Maria”

The first performance  of the Symphony with the  great Polish soprano Stefania Woytowicz  and conductor  Ernest Bour took place on 4 April 1977 at the Royal International Festival .

M.H. Górecki (1933-2010)

S. Woytowicz (1922-2005)

Stefania Woytowicz and Jerzy Katlewicz present a part of Symphony of Sorrowful Songs: