Krystian Zimerman – Bernstein: Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” (2018) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

The Second Symphony by Leonard Bernstein, The Age of Anxiety, based on a poem of the same name by W. H. Auden, is a work of the composer-conductor’s relative youth, dating from 1948-1949, when he was just turning thirty. The symphony is presented as a series of variations, but not variations around an initial theme. No: each variation takes on elements of the previous variation, varies in turn, and so on. It brings to mind an unbroken metamorphosis. As one might imagine, Bernstein mixes classical symphonic elements with jazz, in particular in the solo piano passage – tackled here by Krystian Zimerman, who had the good fortune to perform with Bernstein several times. In its own way, it is a kind of homage to the centenary of the composer’s birth: as Zimerman mentions in the liner notes, Bernstein asked him if he wanted to play this symphony with him for his hundredth birthday. And he almost keeps the promise, although the orchestra is the Berlin Philharmonic, under Sir Simon Rattle.

“Zimerman’s pianism was extraordinary, a staggering combination of dexterity with nuance, each phrase telling a story. Rattle breathed with him, the two sharing razor-sharp wit and a mood of playful delirium with the orchestra,” Financial Times, 20 June 2018.

Tracklist:
1. Leonard Bernstein on “The Age of Anxiety“ – Interview by Humphrey Burton 01:47
2. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 1. The Prologue : Lento moderato 02:25
3. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 2. The Seven Ages : Variation 1. L’istesso tempo 01:00
4. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 2. The Seven Ages : Variation 2. Poco più mosso 01:29
5. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 2. The Seven Ages : Variation 3. Largamente, ma mosso 01:26
6. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 2. The Seven Ages : Variation 4. Più mosso 00:51
7. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 2. The Seven Ages : Variation 5. Agitato 00:50
8. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 2. The Seven Ages : Variation 6. Poco meno mosso 01:29
9. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 2. The Seven Ages : Variation 7. L’istesso tempo 01:59
10. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 3. The Seven Stages : Variation 8. Molto moderato, ma movendo 01:49
11. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 3. The Seven Stages : Variation 9. Più mosso. Tempo di Valse 01:20
12. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 3. The Seven Stages : Variation 10. Più mosso 00:30
13. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 3. The Seven Stages : Variation 11. L’istesso tempo 00:54
14. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 3. The Seven Stages : Variation 12. Poco più vivace 00:13
15. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 3. The Seven Stages : Variation 13: L’istesso tempo 00:41
16. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 1 / 3. The Seven Stages : Variation 14: Poco più vivace 00:34
17. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 2 / 1. The Dirge : Largo 07:34
18. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 2 / 2. The Masque : Extremely fast 04:29
19. Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” / Part 2 / 3. The Epilogue : L’istesso tempo – Adagio / Andante – quasi cadenza – Lento molto 08:19