Library Recommendation: Henryk Górecki / London Sinfonietta conducted by David Zinman – Symphony No 3, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs

Released: 1992

Label: Nonesuch

Genre: New Classical

“After the sessions, I thought: ‘This is better than I anticipated,’” [Robert] Hurwitz recalls. “‘I think it could be a success; we might even sell 25,000 copies.’”

That the album went on to sell 40 times that number was way beyond the dreams of anyone involved. The then new commercial radio station Classic FM helped play a part. It had launched in September 1992 and immediately put the symphony’s shortest movement, the second, on heavy rotation. The recording touched a nerve.

“Suddenly it was reaching music lovers and listeners, jumping over the heads of the gatekeepers,” says Susskind. “It was thrilling, actually. In classical music publishing you don’t get supernovas – and this was a supernova.” The Guardian