Recorded in January 2017, this album directed by Krysztof Penderecki shows off his 1980 Second Symphony (first performed in 1981 by the New York Philharmonic), followed by Dvořák's Seventh, all under the same, distinguished baton. Penderecki's Second bears the completely apocryphal title of "Christmas Symphony", although neither the score nor the orchestral parts mention it, despite the fact that its tones are rather more tragic than pastoral: Christmas is only evoked by a veiled allusion to Douce nuit, by way of departure from the theme. The audience at its début were stunned by the "step backwards" that the composer made towards a much more consonant language, denuded of any avant-garde content, a tendency which then developed across the whole world. And few complained, it must be said. Regardless, this symphony is a superb masterpiece. His reading of Dvořák, all in orchestral colours, underlines that as well as a towering composer he is also an excellent conductor. We note that Penderecki, since 2003, has been the artistic director of the Sinfonia Varsovia. © SM/Qobuz