Galina Ustvolskaya - Symphonies Nos. 1–5 (Christian Karlsen)

Information

Composer: Galina Ustvolskaya

• Symphony No. 1
• Symphony No. 2 "True and Eternal Bliss!"
• Symphony No. 3 "Jesus Messiah, Save us!"
• Symphony No. 4 "Prayer"
• Symphony No. 5 "Amen"

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Christian Karlsen, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: BIS

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Galina Ustvolskaya (1919–2006) was a radically individual Russian composer whose intense, spiritually charged music remained largely unrecognized during her lifetime. Known for a style of extreme focus and power, her works reject conventional influences and often convey a sense of ritual and fervent urgency. Her five symphonies illustrate this evolution: the First still uses a full orchestra but incorporates chanting boys addressing social injustices, while Symphonies 2–5 abandon traditional symphonic structure entirely. Each is a single, concentrated movement with highly unusual, progressively reduced instrumentation. Voices appear not as lyrical singers but as urgent bearers of prayer, reflecting Ustvolskaya’s uncompromising artistic vision.

Christian Karlsen (born 1985 in Sweden) is a leading conductor of his generation, known especially for his commitment to contemporary music. Trained at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, he began as assistant to Esa-Pekka Salonen and Jac van Steen. He has since appeared widely across Europe, conducting major ensembles including the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, ASKO|Schönberg, the Hessischer Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra, and the Gothenburg Symphony. A co-founder of the New European Ensemble, he led notable productions linked to major cultural institutions and human-rights organisations. He has directed festivals dedicated to Saariaho, Schönberg, and Lindberg, and regularly collaborates with leading modern composers.