Polish composer Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, was released on Nonesuch Records 25 years ago today, April 24, 1992. Górecki had composed the piece in 1976, but it didn't appear on disc until then. The recording of the emotionally affecting piece, featuring soprano Dawn Upshaw and the London Sinfonietta led by conductor David Zinman, proved spellbinding to a diverse international audience, becoming the highest-selling album ever by a contemporary composer. "Perhaps people find something they need in this piece of music," Górecki speculated. "Somehow I hit the right note, something they were missing."
Polish composer Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, was released on Nonesuch Records twenty-five years ago today, April 24, 1992. Górecki had composed the piece in 1976, but it didn't appear on disc until then. The recording of the emotionally affecting piece, featuring soprano Dawn Upshaw and the London Sinfonietta led by conductor David Zinman, proved spellbinding to a diverse international audience, reaching an unprecedented No. 6 spot on the UK pop charts and becoming the highest-selling album ever by a contemporary composer.
"Perhaps people find something they need in this piece of music," Górecki himself speculated. "Somehow I hit the right note, something they were missing."
The 1992 recording of Symphony No. 3 was included in the seven-CD box set Henryk Górecki: A Nonesuch Retrospective, in 2016 and was given its first-ever vinyl release at that time as well. The recording is available to purchase and listen to here.
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