# 4 great polish composers



## TrevBus (Jun 6, 2013)

IMO, in the modern era of CM(20th/21st century)in Poland, 4 names rise above all.
Wojciech Kilar
Krzysztof Penderecki
Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki
Witold Lutoslawski
They are in no order other than the 1st 2 are still w/us. For me, it is very hard to choose between any of them because all 4 transend there field and have given the world some of the finest music to come out that country, indeed, any country for that matter.
However, if you can, then choose a favorite of these giants. Then, IYO, pick there definitive work or works.

While, as I said, hard to choose but for me I lean towards Penderecki, if for nothing else, his symphonies and esp. 3 and 8.
As for definitive, well, WOW but will give it a try.
Penderecke Sym. #8 & #3. 'Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima'.
Gorecki 'Beatus Vir' Sym. #3
Lutoslawski Sym. #3 & #4. 'Partita for Violin and Orch.'
Kilar 'September Symphony'


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Chopin, Penderecki, Lutoslawski, Szymanowski. 

Honorable Mentions: Bacewicz, Godowsky, Weinberg, Meyer, Paderewski, Zarebski, Wieniawski, Zelenski, Moszkowski.

:tiphat:


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Witold Lutoslawski doing his own thing


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## TrevBus (Jun 6, 2013)

Vaneyes said:


> Chopin, Penderecki, Lutoslawski, Szymanowski.
> 
> Honorable Mentions: Bacewicz, Godowsky, Weinberg, Meyer, Paderewski, Zarebski, Wieniawski, Zelenski, Moszkowski.
> 
> :tiphat:


Sorry, I guess I didn't make myself clear. Modern, 20th/21st. Chopin doesn't fit here. Szymanowski would make it 5. Thanks for bringing him up.


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## Kleinzeit (May 15, 2013)

Sir Andrzej Panufnik









and his daughter Roxanna Panufnik


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## TrevBus (Jun 6, 2013)

Kleinzeit said:


> View attachment 22152
> 
> 
> Sir Andrzej Panufnik
> ...


And HE would make that 6. However, I really wanted the choice between the 4 I listed. Ok, so let's go with Other as another choice. Next time I will be more clear, I HOPE!!!!!!!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Witold Lutoslawski doing his own thing


Thank you! ... didn't know of this, and think it is pretty wonderful, and lovely, and fun


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Kleinzeit said:


> View attachment 22152
> 
> 
> Sir Andrzej Panufnik
> ...


Both officially British, but here we go again (c.f recent Handel scenario)

Unless Kleinzeit's playing Devil's Advocate (God forbid!)


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Szymanowski, Panufnik (mainly for his early output), Lutoslawski, and Gorecki. I loathe Penderecki's music. One of the most overrated composers of the late 20th Century IMHO.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

elgars ghost said:


> Both officially British


Daughter Panufnik is definitely a British composer having been born and raised there. Daddy Panufnik, however, is a Polish composer no question about it. He may have spent his later years in Britain, but the tragic events that shaped his life happened in his homeland of Poland.

Schnittke was born to a Volga German mother and a German Jewish father in Russia but do we consider him a German composer? No, we don't because all the important events in his early life happened in Russia. It's a similar scenario with Eduard Tubin. He was born in Estonia but fled to Sweden after the communists took over his homeland, but he's still recognized as an Estonian composer.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I may be in the minority, but I have never gotten into Gorecki's music. I find the Symphony No. 3 to be almost "new age" in feeling. I'm sure it must be more involved than touchy-feely new age pieces, but it still has that flavor to me. I have a few of his piano pieces as well and they are adequate, but not goose bump inducing to me. 

I probably find Kilar the most interesting of the four. Lutoslawski also.


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I also like Tadeusz Baird very much.


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