20th Century Classics: Penderecki, Threnody to Victims of Hiroshima, Composer: Krzysztof Penderecki, Other participants: Sabine Meyer, Klarinette - Siegfried Palm, Cello - Alfons Kontarsky, Piano - Wanda Wilkomirska, Violine - Felicja Blumental, Piano - London Symphony Orchestra - Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra - Krzysztof Penderecki

Classical Music

Directed by Anna Schmidt. Starring Julian Rachlin, Jonny Greenwood, Andrzej Wajda.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Florian Uhlig has often played the concerto under the direction of Penderecki as well as with other conductors throughout the world. Uhlig gives an exceptional interpretation of this successful contemporary work that is particularly close to his heart.

The Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki used to write chamber music even as a student in Cracow. He was writing the chamber music works for himself, then already an accomplished violinist, and his fellow students (The title "Sonata for Violin and Piano" from 1953 has only recently been published.). A specialty of these early works are Penderecki's inventions with which he altered the sound of the stringed instruments, indeed almost to the point of being completely unrecognizable. With the new sounds he introduced, he achieved effects both frightening and rough as well as a bewitching, irredescent lyricism: a broad scale of sounds and colors which no one would have thought possible with stringed instruments. After the composition of the "String Quartet No. 1" chamber music receded into the background. The next quartet appeared eight years later, and the following pieces for single instruments were mostly "gifts of friendship" for the outstanding interpreters of his instrumental concertos with orchestra. Only recently, in 1990, has Penderecki turned again intensively to chamber music, composing the strongly virtuoso "String Trio" which is also included on this CD. The interpreters of this production are renowned musicians and, being either Polish or having lived and worked in Poland, very familiar with the composer's works.

Five compositions from three decades are brought together here representing all of Penderecki's creative periods. This provides an interesting possibility for reflection. The series of works begins with the 1983 Concerto for Viola, music by the composer at the age of 50, reflecting the current position of his compositional work: a pluralism which combines all the possible aspects of his earlier writing experience. This began in 1959 with "Strophes", his first point of contact with the west European avantgarde. This however had no further consequences, because Penderecki had already in 1965 in his Capriccio for Oboe condensed his very personal and bold experiments with material in the border region between sound and noise. Similarly in 1973 at the age of 40 when he wrote his little Intermezzo for Strings, he had already written his First Symphony, the emphatic work of his middle period. Only thereafter came the surprising shift in style - Penderecki's "romantic phase" - one of the results of which is the Concerto for Viola. Tabea Zimmermann: viola / Mariusz Pedzialek: oboe / Olga Szwajgier: soprano / Amadeus Kammerorchester Posen / Agnieszka Duczmal: conductor.

PENDERECKI: Polish Requiem / Przebudzenie Jakuba (The Awaken

Penderecki: Te Deum - Lacrimosa

Penderecki: Seven Gates of Jerusalem

Krzysztof Penderecki is one of the most famous and prominent living Polish composers. Symphonies have a special place in his legacy, but until now have never been recorded in a series under his artistic direction. In celebration of his 80th birthday, DUX presents the best performances of his works with the Sinfonia luventus. His great musical authority influences the young musicians' energetic and fresh sound.

In many of his public statements, the illustrious Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1934) has stressed that the human voice is his favorite expressive device. + His many works for vocal and vocal-instrumental forces, including the selection of choral pieces featured on this recording, provide convincing proof of this fact. + The Polish Chamber Choir, directed by Jan Łukaszewski, belongs to a small elite of internationally renowned, fully professional chamber choirs

It took more than five decades after the Psalms of David for Krzysztof Penderecki to produce another large-scale vocal-instrumental work setting Polish texts. It was a commission from the Fryderyk Chopin National Institute for a piece to be performed at the final concert of the Chopin Bicentenary celebrations that offered Penderecki a suitable opportunity to turn again to Polish poetry. The conductor Wojciech Rajski leads the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir and a trio of vocal soloists.

Radomska Orkiestra Kameralna consists of 16 musicians, working under Maciej Żółtowski as the ensemble’s Manag­ing and Artistic Director. In addition to regu­lar concerts, the orchestra organizes special events including the Krzysztof Penderecki International Composers’ Competition ARBORETUM. The important part of ROK’s repertoire is music of the 20th and 21st century.

This new release of works by the Poland-based Dux label's greatest and most highly-acclaimed living fellow countryman composer Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1933) features two concerti - the Clarinet Concerto (1984; transcribed from the Viola Concerto), the Flute Concerto (1992) and his (2001) Concerto Grosso No. 1. These concertante works were written during a time when Penderecki had synthesized experiences of Romantic provenance (typical of his middle period) with other, sometimes drastically varying sources of inspiration, while aiming at an anchoring in universal humanistic values.

Penderecki: Music for Chamber Orchestra

Krzysztof Penderecki is one of the most famous and prominent living Polish composers. Symphonies have a special place in his legacy, but until now have never been recorded in a series under his artistic direction. In celebration of his 80th birthday, DUX presents the best performances of his works with the Sinfonia luventus. His great musical authority influences the young musicians' energetic and fresh sound.

Krzysztof Penderecki is one of the most famous and prominent living Polish composers. Symphonies have a special place in his legacy, but until now have never been recorded in a series under his artistic direction. In celebration of his 80th birthday, DUX presents the best performances of his works with the Sinfonia luventus. His great musical authority influences the young musicians' energetic and fresh sound.

Krzysztof Penderecki is one of the most famous and prominent living Polish composers. Symphonies have a special place in his legacy, but until now have never been recorded in a series under his artistic direction. In celebration of his 80th birthday, DUX presents the best performances of his works with the Sinfonia luventus. His great musical authority influences the young musicians' energetic and fresh sound.

Krzysztof Penderecki is one of the most famous and prominent living Polish composers. Symphonies have a special place in his legacy, but until now have never been recorded in a series under his artistic direction. In celebration of his 80th birthday, DUX presents the best performances of his works with the Sinfonia luventus. His great musical authority influences the young musicians' energetic and fresh sound.

This compilation of Penderecki works features his best-known compisitions.

SYMPHONY NO. 4 - ADAGIO

Krzysztof Penderecki’s works for string instruments constitute a rather abundant group of compositions of different forms and genres. The selection presented on this release comprises concerto pieces created at various stages of Penderecki’s creative path. The Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra was established in 2007. The Orchestra’s mission is to bring together the most talented students and graduates of musical academies who are under thirty years of age. They are deeply convinced that an opportunity to cooperate with outstanding artists will inspire many talented musicians and make them more eager to continue to develop as artists, and the personal artistic responsibility of each musician will translate into shared responsibility for the shape and quality of the orchestra. They believe that the Polish Orchestra Sinfonia Iuventus will be perceived by young musicians not so much as an institution, but as a community of shared objectives.

STRING QUARTETS, STRING TRIO,