Krzysztof Penderecki (1933-2020)

Started by Maciek, April 12, 2007, 03:43:03 PM

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Brahmsian

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 14, 2021, 11:01:11 AM
Always a sensible thing to do for sure. It certainly beats my own method, which is buy everything and then give it away later. ;) :P

Well, I have already added 7 discs on my Amazon wish list.  :D

Brahmsian

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 14, 2021, 07:36:24 AM
An excellent question, Ray. I'll have to go with the following for today (in no particular order):

Cello Concerto No. 2
Horn Concerto, "Winterreise"
St. Luke Passion
Kosmogonia
String Quartet No. 3, "Leaves from an unwritten diary"


I don't think I can come up with a firm top five at the moment until I have relistened to all I have and then listen to many works I have not yet heard, but out of what I have heard:

Utrenja
The Devils of Loudun
Symphony No. 3
String Quartet No. 1
Polymorphia


We'll see how much this changes with this new exploration.  :)

Brahmsian

#522
Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 14, 2021, 11:22:16 AM
Well, I have already added 7 discs on my Amazon wish list.  :D

Amongst the wishlist:














Mirror Image

Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 14, 2021, 11:22:16 AM
Well, I have already added 7 discs on my Amazon wish list.  :D

8) Excellent!

Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 14, 2021, 12:02:54 PM
Amongst the wishlist:













All of these are excellent recordings. You'll be surprised by Symphony No. 6, "Chinese Songs". Penderecki at his most lyrical. I also highly recommend checking out A Dream Did Breathe On Me, which is a glorious orchestral song cycle. This work is also lyrical in mood.

DavidW

Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 14, 2021, 06:46:46 AM
What are people's top five Penderecki works? John (MI)? 😁

That looks like you were only directing the question at MI but I'll answer anyway:

Symphony #3, 1, 5
Clarinet Quartet

Brahmsian

Quote from: DavidW on September 14, 2021, 03:40:09 PM
That looks like you were only directing the question at MI but I'll answer anyway:

Symphony #3, 1, 5
Clarinet Quartet

Oh, of course anyone can answer. Thanks David. I'll listen to Symphony 1 and 5 tomorrow, along with the Clarinet Quartet. I listened to the marvelous 3rd symphony today.  :)

Mirror Image

#526
Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 14, 2021, 04:01:09 PM
Oh, of course anyone can answer. Thanks David. I'll listen to Symphony 1 and 5 tomorrow, along with the Clarinet Quartet. I listened to the marvelous 3rd symphony today.  :)

I love the last three symphonies, but I rank the 5th quite highly along with Symphony No. 2, "Christmas Symphony".

Some information on Symphony No. 5, "Korean":

Called "Korean", even though the name does not appear on the score, Krzysztof Penderecki's Symphony No. 5 was commissioned by the International Cultural Society of Korea for the 50th anniversary of liberation of Korea from the Japanese occupation, and was premiered by the Korean Radio Symphony Orchestra under the composer on 14th August 1992.

Although a single-movement work, Symphony No. 5 has a highly varied structure, whose highlight - and a reference to the occasion for which it was composed - is the incorporation of an old Korean patriotic song, banned under the Japanese occupation. A symbol of Korean independence, the tune uses just three sounds: b, f and c.

This is how Tadeusz ZieliƄski comments on Symphony No. 5 in a latest study of Penderecki's instrumental music:

"Despite the rough surface, 'Symphony No. 5' is a monumental romantic drama rich in deep emotions, great emotional contrasts, exuberant pathos as well as scherzo-like playfulness, various tangled motifs, rich and varied colours. Somewhere there lurk the spirits of Bruckner, Mahler, Strauss and Shostakovich behind the dramatic pulse of this (and of the earlier) symphonies. One may therefore say that this music is turned towards both history and modernity, what with its bold sound language that is radically remote from the tradition."

And this is how Penderecki himself speaks about his symphonic music:

"If someone had the idea of calling my symphonic works 'cathedrals of uselessness', they should know that I gave up the world-saving temptation long ago. I am keen, however, to save the things which are the most important to me in the artistic and human dimensions."

[Article taken from Culture.pl]

Maestro267

Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 14, 2021, 06:46:46 AM
What are people's top five Penderecki works? John (MI)? 😁

Piano Concerto "Resurrection"
Symphony No. 7 "Seven Gates of Jerusalem"
Symphony No. 2
Credo
Concerto Grosso No. 1

Brahmsian

Quote from: Maestro267 on September 15, 2021, 03:50:10 AM
Piano Concerto "Resurrection"
Symphony No. 7 "Seven Gates of Jerusalem"
Symphony No. 2
Credo
Concerto Grosso No. 1

Have not heard the Piano Concerto but it is on my wish list.

DavidW

Quote from: Maestro267 on September 15, 2021, 03:50:10 AM
Piano Concerto "Resurrection"
Symphony No. 7 "Seven Gates of Jerusalem"
Symphony No. 2
Credo
Concerto Grosso No. 1

I think that shows a personal our tastes our... those are my least favorite works of Penderecki! :laugh:

Brahmsian

Quote from: DavidW on September 15, 2021, 04:38:08 AM
I think that shows a personal our tastes our... those are my least favorite works of Penderecki! :laugh:

What I generally find prevalent in fans of Penderecki are the two camps:

Fans of his early avant-garde period and fans of his later period, and never the two shall meet.  ;D

Not everyone, obviously, but in general.

DavidW

Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 15, 2021, 04:43:13 AM
What I generally find prevalent in fans of Penderecki are the two camps:

Fans of his early avant-garde period and fans of his later period, and never the two shall meet.  ;D

Not everyone, obviously, but in general.

Actually I like both periods.

Maestro267

Me too, but when thinking quickly about it those are the first 5 works that came to my mind. No one really has a genuine ranking of them; none of this really matters or should define who we are as people.


Mirror Image

Quote from: Maestro267 on September 15, 2021, 03:50:10 AM
Piano Concerto "Resurrection"
Symphony No. 7 "Seven Gates of Jerusalem"
Symphony No. 2
Credo
Concerto Grosso No. 1

All fine works, indeed. I need to listen to the Piano Concerto, "Resurrection" again, though.

Mirror Image

#535
Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 15, 2021, 04:43:13 AM
What I generally find prevalent in fans of Penderecki are the two camps:

Fans of his early avant-garde period and fans of his later period, and never the two shall meet.  ;D

Not everyone, obviously, but in general.

I used to be in the "early works only" camp, but then I heard the Christmas Symphony and realized how foolish it was for me to have a preference when, in fact, there are great pieces from all periods of his oeuvre.

Brahmsian

Quote from: DavidW on September 14, 2021, 03:40:09 PM
That looks like you were only directing the question at MI but I'll answer anyway:

Clarinet Quartet

Just relistened to this again, David.  It is magnificent, isn't it?  :)

Mirror Image

Quote from: OrchestralNut on September 15, 2021, 06:30:28 AM
Just relistened to this again, David.  It is magnificent, isn't it?  :)

The Sextet and Violin Sonatas are also top-notch. Of course, I love the SQs, too.

Brahmsian

Quote from: Mirror Image on August 28, 2021, 06:07:50 AM
The problem is if someone wants to buy a recording of it all there is is that Philips recording, which is OOP, rare and if you do find one, incredibly expensive. I hope Decca reissues it, but I'm not going to hold my breath. ;)

That, or this option of a multi DVD opera set.

The Devils of Loudun



This is the one that is available currently on YouTube, that Bruce kindly shared the link to earlier this year.

Brahmsian

Quote from: Mirror Image on September 15, 2021, 06:38:09 AM
The Sextet and Violin Sonatas are also top-notch. Of course, I love the SQs, too.

Listening to the Sextet now, John.

As for the violin sonatas, I've just ordered them (Naxos set).  Haven't heard these before.  I'm also only familiar with the 1st string quartet (famously playing at the opening credits of The Exorcist).