Polish Composers
You Should Know
(Who Aren’t Chopin)
“There is no Polish culture
without music. Polish culture
is music”
Andrzej Panufnik (1914-1991
Panufnik was a friend of Lutosławski. the two
spent time together during the World War II
during the second occupation and formed a duo
that played in cafes in Warsaw. Panufnik stayed
in Poland for a while after the War, became the
director of the Kraków Philharmonic, and
restored the Warsaw Philharmonic. In 1956, he
escaped Poland, and eventually settled in
England, spending most of his life in London. “In
England he didn’t have an easy life, but he
continued to compose,” Try listening to his Piano
Concerto (1961).
Panufnik’ music
Wojciech Kilar (1932 – 2013)
Wojciech Kilar was “well-known as a composer
of great sacred music. But he’s also known for
his film music, because he composed music for
the famous directors like Roman Polanski,” she
said. Some of his most well-known film scores
include music for Rosemary’s Baby (Polanski)
and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Francis Ford
Coppola). He received a César Award for Best
Film Music written for his piece Moving to the
Ghetto Oct. 31, 1940 which he composed for the
movie The Pianist.
Kilar’s music
Krzysztof Penderecki (1933 –
)
Penderecki is belived to be “the most diverse composer
from the whole Polish group. There’s such a great variety
it’s hard to believe.” He tends to change his style every
couple of years, and recently has been collaborating
more and more with pop and jazz musicians. In turn,
“jazz musicians have also been adapting his music to
their own style, and he supports that very much,” she
said. There’s so much great music by Penderecki.
There’s his large-scale St. Luke Passion won him the
Prix Italia. Then, of course there’s his Threnody for the
Victims of Hiroshima. Not to mention, his music has
been used famously in films. His Polymorphia was
made famous by the film adaptation of The Shining
Penderecki’s music