Grammy
award-winning composer Krzysztof Penderecki (1933) provides a great modern-day
example of a composer who uses nationalistic qualities in music. Penderecki
grew up exposed to music, learning violin and piano as a child. His career as a
composer began after he won first prizes in a contest set up by the Polish
Composer’s Union in which he submitted three of his works under pseudonyms.
His
Polish Requiem provides a great
example of a piece with ties to his native Poland. Written for four solo
voices, mixed choir, and orchestra, the requiem was written in several stages
over a period of time. Penderecki dedicated the work to Poland’s suffering
during the period of Martial Law.
A
Polish hymn, Holy God, is used in
Penderecki’s requiem. Today I’d like to listen to the “Lacrimosa” portion of
the Polish Requeim, which was written
earlier on in Penderecki’s career and later incorporated into the requiem. This
piece was used during the unveiling of a memorial for those killed in the 1970
shipyard riots in Gdansk.
Next week we head to England for music by Elgar and Mackenzie!
