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American Record Guide

Marian Sawa (1937-2005) was a Polish organist, composer, teacher, famous for his improvisations. He wrote over 800 pieces in various genres, including several hundred organ works—solo pieces, concertos, and chamber works with organ. He was the greatest organ composer in Polish music history “and probably the greatest Eastern European organ composer of the 20th Century”.

Sawa’s language strikes a balance between Polish Catholic romanticism and the aesthetic of the Polish mid-20th Century avant-garde.  The style draws strongly on traditional Polish music and Gregorian Chant, as evidenced in the two Sequences using the Dies Irae and Victimae Paschal Laudes, and the Three Dances in Old Style. I liked the Aria and Lomza Prayer and found this unknown composer’s music to be well worth exploring.

This is another recording from Cooman as a performer rather than composer. His success as a composer for the organ is due, in large part, to his considerable skills and innate understanding of the instrument as a performer, as demonstrated in these enjoyable performances. The recording was produced using the Hauptwerk digital sampling system of the 4-manual, 72-stop, 2014 Fleiter organ in St Ludgerus Church in Billerbeck, Germany, Notes by the performer on the composer and music, with specification.