Symphony No. 1, Op. 26
Symphony No. 5, Op. 60:
Prometheus - The Poem of Fire

SCRIABIN’S WORLD OF COLOURS

Once again pairing the winning combination of Gramophone’s 2017 ‘Artist of the Year’ Vasily Petrenko, the Oslo Philharmonic and pianist Kirill Gerstein together, LAWO Classics is delighted to present the last instalment of their critically acclaimed Scriabin Series.

Scriabin's first symphony is a “hymn to art”, and was an ambitious first step on his fascinating philosophical journey as an orchestral composer. In “Prometheus”, his last completed orchestral work, choir, orchestra, piano, light, and colour all come together as the “mystic” chord finally resolves into the powerful and consonant major triad – transforming us from the primeval dark of mysticism to the ecstatic enlightenment of a greater awareness. This is intensely beautiful and powerful music, performed with the famously rich and warm sound of The Oslo Philharmonic.

Vasily Petrenko is one of the most significant and galvanizing musicians alive, and has won numerous accolades for his recordings of Russian repertoire, including two Gramophone awards. With the Oslo Philharmonic, he has recorded works by Shostakovich, Szymanowski, Prokofiev and Strauss, as well as a major cycle of orchestral works by Alexander Scriabin, of which this release is the last in the series of three CDs. The previous releases in the Scriabin Series, LWC1088 and LWC1139, have received glowing reviews.

The Oslo Philharmonic was born in 1919 and over the next half-century, the Oslo Philharmonic’s reputation grew steadily. In 1979, it changed forever with the arrival of a young Latvian arriving in Norway, Mariss Jansons, who transformed it to rival the great Philharmonics of Vienna, Berlin and New York.

Kirill Gerstein’s curiosity and versatility has led to an intense engagement with a wide range of repertoire and styles. From Bach to Ades, his playing is distinguished by its clarity of expression, discerning intelligence and virtuosity. Gerstein’s energetic and imaginative musical personality has taken him rapidly to the top of his profession.