Steven Martin wrote:

>I have heard great things about the Lutoslawksi cycle on Naxos.  Since I've
>got a little spare change in my pocket...is there any particular disk in
>this cycle that I should grab first? ...

Then Kevin Sutton responded:

>If Chain I has been recorded on the series, start there!

Personally, I'd recommend as starting points volume 1 (Naxos 8.553202),
which has Chain 2, the partita for violin & orchestra, and symphony 4; or
vol.  5 (Naxos 8.553779), which has the concerto for orchestra.  Both discs
have other works, but I've listed what I think are at least my attractions
to those discs.  The concerto for orchestra is probably Lutoslawski's
best-known piece, so that might be a good place to start.

Also, the last time I checked, Berkshire had Anne-Sophie Mutter's disc
of (mostly) Lutoslawski (DGG 423 696-2) for a bargain price (it is now
regrettably deleted from the catalog), and that disc has the partita
for violin & orchestra and Chain 2.  Since Mutter has collaborated with
Lutoslawski, and since he wrote the partita for her, I think she plays
with a great deal of authority in these pieces.  Besides, she's a fantastic
violinist.  Her Lutoslawski disc is now available only on a 3-disc box on
DGG containing her other recordings of 20th century works.

I don't think Chain 1 has been recorded in the Naxos series (I'm missing
volume 2 of the series, but I don't think Chain 1 is on it).  Chain 1 is
for a chamber ensemble (Lutoslawski describes it as being for an "ensemble
of soloists"), and the Naxos series is of "orchestral" works, so I'm not
sure that Chain 1 will make it on to the series.

The Naxos series on Lutoslawski is another example of that label's
wonderful efforts to record music of this century, and, as a special bonus,
you'll pay far less than for the "major labels."

Drew M. Capuder
Fairmont, West Virginia USA
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