Piano Concerto - Resurrection (Uhlig, Borowicz)

Florian Uhlig - piano, Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra - Lukacz Borowicz

Only recently has Krzysztof Penderecki turned to the piano as a solo instrument. The first sketches for this concerto were made in 2001 and had a lighter character, similar to his Capriccio for Violin and Orchestra. Since the work was scheduled to be premiered in New York following the attack on the World Trade Center, Penderecki decided to present a much more serious work. The work is conceived in a broad formal layout reminiscent of a Mahler symphony transformed into a piano concerto. The work's title "Resurrection" was also conceived as a response to the events of September 11th, 2001. But this is not a resurrection in the religious sense; rather the title refers to the universal human desire for a fresh start, for a new birth. To underscore this idea, the composer employs a pealing of bells at the work's climax. In 2007, Penderecki's score underwent a major revision and it is this even longer version that is performed on this recording.
Florian Uhlig has often played the concerto both under the direction of Penderecki himself as well as with other conductors throughout the world. This recording is particularly close to his heart.