Marian Sawa: Music for Organ
Marian Sawa (1937-2005) began serious studies at the age of 14 at the Salesian Organ School, Przemyšl, Poland. He toured actively as an organ performer and from 1966 taught organ at several prestigious schools. As a composer he wrote about 800 pieces in various genres, centred round his music for organ. His music builds on the Polish post-Romantic tradition, knitting fragments from folk tunes and hymns into his work, drawing strongly on Gregorian chant and traditional Polish material.
Sawa’s personal and individual voice makes his music very recognizable and though little known outside Poland to date, he can be considered perhaps the greatest Eastern European organ composer of the 20th century.
The pieces on this album, composed between 1971 and 2005, demonstrate vividly the range, variety and often enormous power of his compositions. This recording of the exquisite Fleiter organ (2014) at St. Ludgerus, Billerbeck, was made using the Hauptwerk remote digital access system.
Track Listing
- Marian Sawa (1937-2005):
- Sequence I, "Dies Irae" (11:44)
- Resurrection (6:53)
- Aria (7:17)
- Passacaglia II (9:51)
- Three Dances in Old Style (5:39)
- Suite - I. Adagio (4:38)
- Suite - II. Scherzando (2:20)
- Suite - III. Tranquillo (4:46)
- Suite - IV. Con brio (2:04)
- Suite - V. Presto (1:52)
- Fantazja Jasnogórska (6:26)
- Łomza Prayer (5:39)
- Sequence II, "Victimae paschali laudes" (7:04)
Reviews
“As always, with Cooman, very musical. An interesting CD.
” —Mark Jameson
““Fascinating and very successful disc. Throughout this compelling programme, one can readily discern the inner intensity of Sawa’s invention. This release is fully recommended. The presentation, as always from this source, is excellent. (FIVE STARS)
” —Robert Matthew-Walker
“Sawa was the greatest organ composer in Polish history. I found this composer’s music to be well worth exploring. [Cooman has] considerable skills and innate understanding of the instrument as a performer, as demonstrated in these enjoyable performances.
” —Robert Delcamp
“Organist Carson Cooman plays all of this music with sublime musicianship and a clear affinity to Marian Sawa’s highly communicative idiom. The recording is excellent … entirely convincing and natural sounding. There are few enough contemporary organ composers who have such a distinctive personal voice. Marian Sawa is most certainly among their number, and one with plenty to say and plenty of musical substance.
” —Dominy Clements
“The pieces on this album demonstrate vividly the range, variety and often enormous power of [Sawa’s] compositions. Spectacular… majestic. The music is wonderfully played by Carson Cooman.
” —John Pitt
“A composer with a natural knack and ear for the organ…. the composer would have admired the dedication Cooman has placed into producing such a strong rendition of his multiple works. For anyone wanting something unique, there are many musical surprises to be found at Sawa’s door.
” —Ben Lunn
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