Zygmunt Noskowski - Symphony No. 3; The Steppe (Antoni Wit)

Information

Composer: Zygmunt Noskowski

• Symphony No. 3 in F Major "From Spring to Spring"
• The Steppe, Op. 66

Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz

Antoni Wit, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Capriccio

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Polish composer Zygmunt Noskowski (1846–1909), though less renowned than his teacher Moniuszko or students Szymanowski and Karłowicz, was a central figure in 19th-century Polish symphonic music. He played a key role in introducing the symphonic poem to Polish music. This recording features his Third Symphony, a seasonal journey rich in Romantic expression, and The Steppe, Op. 66, a tone poem evoking Poland’s vast landscapes with echoes of Borodin. Blending national folk elements with lush orchestration, conductor Antoni Wit revitalizes these overlooked works in a compelling and vivid orchestral program.

Antoni Wit (b. 1944) is one of Poland’s most esteemed conductors and a key advocate for Polish music. A prizewinner at the Herbert von Karajan Competition in 1971 and Karajan’s assistant at the Salzburg Easter Festival, he later led all major Polish orchestras and served as general director of the Warsaw Philharmonic (2001–2013). He also directed Spain’s Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra and is conductor laureate of the Kraków Philharmonic. With over 200 recordings, many for Naxos, he has received numerous awards, including a GRAMMY and France’s Légion d’honneur. Wit studied with Henryk Czyz and Nadia Boulanger, and holds a law degree from Jagiellonian University.