# Your favorite Penderecki movements



## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

I'm finding that some of his music sounds woefully uninspired (adagio from third symphony), while some is among the best contemporary music I've heard (first movement of Seven Gates of Jerusalem).

There's a lot of his music to explore. What are some of your favorite movements from his sometimes gigantic works?

Also, I want to recommend this recording (Seven Gates of Jerusalem as conducted by Kord):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penderecki-Seven-Jerusalem-Jadwiga-Rappé/dp/B00004LMZI/

I've only properly familiarised myself with the first movement so far, but that rendering is amazingly beautiful, a lot better in some respects than the other two I've heard. On the other hand, I also like the recording with Wit as conductor, because his solo singers use less vibrato.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I would recommend the St. Luke Passion and Te Deum, not really sure about individual movements but for shorter pieces try Anaklasis and the 1st String Quartet.


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

I'm wary of his pre-1980 style (St Luke Passion, Anaklasis, String Quartet 1). I don't generally like avant-garde stuff (though I liked the use of polymorphia in The Shining).

That said, the more I listen to his post-1980 stuff, the more disappointing it begins to seem on the whole. There's something lacking in his music - motivic development, long lines, something like this. When I listen to Schoenberg (e.g. the 1st movement of the third string quartet) or Roger Sessions (slow movements of late symphonies) side by side with late Penderecki, it's hard to not see him as second-rate. His Chaconne is a sort of exception though - it's music that sounds like music rather than sounding like gestures. 

I've been listening to Polish Requiem, 8th symphony, the Credo, and some other stuff. Alas, even his counterpoint seems lazy in general - all those descending chromatic passages for example. Does he expect the listener not to pay any attention to them, adding them only as "color"? I don't get it. It just seems lazy. There's also a predominance of two-part counterpoint in favor of anything more complex. 

Such potential, because I really like some of his ideas and his tonal language, but mostly wasted it seems. Maybe I'm just approaching it the wrong way and paying too much attention to minor issues... Honestly, I still kind of like a lot of it, but it's starting to feel more like a guilty pleasure.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Chordalrock said:


> I'm wary of his pre-1980 style (St Luke Passion, Anaklasis, String Quartet 1). I don't generally like avant-garde stuff (though I liked the use of polymorphia in The Shining).


Hi, Chordalrock.

My tastes are the opposite of yours so I'm not able to contribute suggestions on individual movements which you seek.
I chimed in here because you use the term 'pre-1980' as threshold between music you like and music you don't.
With me, pre-1980 signifies my favorite period of 20th century compositions. Loving both music for concert and cinema from the 1950s & 1960s & 1970s, 'pre-1980' is received by me as the zenith of music and not to be avoided. 

If you are open to the music used in *The Shining*, then my sole suggestion to you would be to sample the soundtrack for *La Guerre Du Feu* (aka *Quest For Fire*) by Philippe Sarde. Significant portions of Sarde's score resemble the late-'70s/early '80s neo-romanticism by Penderecki (who was initially the first composer whom director Jean-Jacques Annaud sought to score his film)










[maybe someday the 'avant-garde' will gain additional favor from you...]


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Another vote for the Te Deum, though it´s somewhat a mood piece. Also the partita for harpsichord & orchstra, in a very different style, and the Polish Requiem.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm really enjoying the cello CD on Apex featuring Rostropovich on the 2nd concerto, and Partita.

I dig Te Deum too. And Wit's Polymorphia is an awesome recording! Both on the same Naxos CD.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2015)

His pre-1980 period is far superior to his post-1980 period, but if you're insistent on avoiding avant-garde music, I would suggest you listen to the rest of the 7th symphony, and also try:

Concerto Grosso No. 1
Piano Concerto "Resurrection"
Horn Concerto "Winterreise"
Violin Concerto No. 2 "Metamorphosen"
String Quartet No. 3 "Blätter Eines Nicht Geschriebenen Tagebuches"

I guess it would be fair to say I find his late concerti much more worthwhile than his late symphonies.


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## Epilogue (Sep 20, 2015)

My favorite movement from his pre-1980 period is Iannis Xenakis' "Pithoprakta."

My favorite movement from his post-1980 period is Arvo Pärt's "Wenn Bach Bienen gezüchtet hätte."


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