Paraorchestra: Symphony of Sorrowful Songs

Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs is an astonishing meditation on loss and transcendence. Performed by pioneering contemporary orchestra Paraorchestra with acclaimed soprano Victoria Oruwari; Charles Hazlewood conducts this evocative and heartfelt ‘spiritual minimalist’ composition in a uniquely immersive format. The ensemble are arrayed throughout the space, with the audience invited to move amongst them as they play, bringing the virtuosity of Paraorchestra and the emotional charge of Górecki’s masterpiece breathtakingly close. With strong themes of motherhood and loss, each of the three movements features a Polish lament that takes audiences on an uplifting journey through grief and solace. Composed in 1976, Sorrowful Songs was popularised by soprano Dawn Upshaw and conductor David Zinman with the London Sinfonietta in 1991. Climbing to the top of the classical music charts, it received an unprecedented term on the mainstream UK album chart and has remained a much-cherished contemporary classical work across generations ever since.