Krzysztof Penderecki – My Window To The Avant-Garde

March 29 marks the first anniversary of the death of Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki (11/23/1933 – 03/29/2021)

How hearing one incredible work of Penderecki on the radio shaped my musical taste and influenced my private and musical life

To commemorate this, I will be presenting a special three-hour edition of Classical Discoveries on Wednesday, March 31 from 7:00am till 10:00am

I was about 14 years old while sitting at the dining table with my mother and listening to the New York radio Station WNCN, when at around 6:45 in the evening I heard incredible terrifying shrieks and fascinating sounds coming out of the radio speakers. Yes, it was Penderecki’s Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima – my window to the new world of Avant-Garde music.
Shortly thereafter, I purchased the LP on the RCA Victrola label. By looking at the record grooves, I could see that the work opened very loudly. I remember how scared and terrified I was hearing this for the first time. Penderecki’s music absolutely ruptured my 14-year-old brain and marked the beginning of my journey into the world of Avant-Garde music with its many other composers from John Cage to Karlheinz Stockhausen to name a few. I kept though going back though to Penderecki and particularly liked his Capriccio for violin and orchestra, St. Luke Passion, and Dies Irae to name a few.

After many years, I began to look back and started wondering why this music was so special to me. I came up with a very unusual thought. When I was growing up at home, rock music was off limits. I was not allowed to listen to it in the house or anywhere for that matter. My mother actually took pride in telling people it was prohibited in the house. It occurred to me that the music of the post World War 2 Avant-Garde might have been my own personal music of protest since my parents were not interested in that either. It provided me with a safe space where they could not interfere and since I was studying music it was a part of my musical education. And yes, I managed to listen to forbidden music that they did not approve of anyway. Later they could not understand why I was hosting an oldies show on WPRB for two summers after they heard about it from their lawyer.

My journey into Penderecki and other Polish music did not end up only with listening.

Later in my life, I met my dream partner who was looking for music of Alan Hovhaness. She loved Penderecki, Avant-Garde and many different types of music and yes she came from Poland. I think I impressed her with my knowledge of Polish music (including Grażyna Bacewicz) but it was my performance of Chopin that melted her heart and since she is very fussy about Chopin interpretations I was ecstatic to get her approval. One of our dates included a trip to New York where we heard a performance of Penderecki’s “A Polish Requiem”. At this time I knew that she was for me! How many women would go on a date to hear a work like this in New York and be excited about having a picture with the composer? I finally had someone who shared my interests not only in Polish music but also of course the music of Alan Hovhaness and many others.I remember our excitement at the performance of Penderecki’s St. Luke Passion in Philadelphia in April 2002 with the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia and other concerts featuring Polish music in Philadelphia.

His music along with the music of endless Polish composers has been presented on “Classical Discoveries” since it began in 1997. I have produced thirty specials totally devoted to Polish music, including a 2-hour special for Penderecki’s 80^th birthday and his opera Ubu Rex. Unfortunately, Polish music, with few exceptions like Chopin, Lutoslawski, Szymanowski, Gorecki , Kilar and a few others is not well known here in the USA and I really hope that will change.

Here is a link to the playlists of Polish programs: http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org/special_playlists_polish_composers.html

Hope you will be able to join me on WPRB, 103.3FM or on line at www.wprb.com.

You can find more information before the broadcast on my website. In addition, the sound files will be available for 2 weeks after the broadcast at: http://www.classicaldiscoveries.org

Two Theremins and a Laptop

I only have occasional guests on my programs since I am only on the air once a week, however the beginning of this year already looks very exciting.

In March, during the 9^th annual series “In Praise of Woman”, Tania León and Roxana Panufnik will join me live in the WPRB studio.

Also, next Wednesday, January 11, at 10:00am till 12:30pm I will host the young Polish composer, living now in USA, Jakub Ciupiński, aka Żak, whom I discovered some months ago on Google while searching materials on the first electronic instrument, the Theremin.

It just happens that Jakub actually built a modern version – a system out of two Theremins and a laptop with his own software to perform live electronic music.

I hope you can check this really cool video:

I know that I do not need any excuse to present any specials on my program. I do love to prepare these, especially when I have occasional foreign guests.

John Psathas was my guest on “IN THE LAND OF KIWI” – A MUSICAL VOYAGE TO NEW ZEALAND, Ross Edwards joined me on “CLASSICAL DISCOVERIES GOES OUTBACK “ 
Musical Voyage to Australia and Ēriks Ešenvalds was a guest of  FROM RIGA WITH LOVE – Musical Voyage to LATVIA

I have regrets that I could not do a whole Serbian program with Aleksandra Vrebalov this past summer, unfortunately, my Serbian music collection on CD is a bit on the small side.

Since Jakub Ciupiński is Polish, my program for next week will be titled “POLISH MUSIC BEYOND CHOPIN AND GORECKI”.

Anyone who listens to Classical Discoveries knows that I have a weakness for music from Eastern Europe and the Baltic region.  The music of Poland however has a special place for me since my wife was born there and introduced me to this wonderful country and it’s arts, music and of course, it’s food.

I am not going dwell much on the subject of Polish music since I devoted time to it last summer.

So, get ready for more Polish music on Classical Discoveries from 5:30am till 10:00am and some Avant-Garde at 12:30pm till 1:00pm.

From 10:00am till 12:30pm there will be talk and much music by my guest. Since Ciupiński is a very diversified composer who writes in all styles from traditional classical to pop/world, and electronic, his music will be perfect for both programs, “Classical Discoveries” and “Classical Discoveries Goes Avant-Garde.”

As I mentioned before, Polish music is very common on my weekly programs and below are some links to various playlists that focused partially or were totally devoted  to works of Polish composers.

Some other programs devoted to Polish music: 01-11-2012 – Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 2012 Edition 10-26-2011 – Spotlight on Andrzej Panufnik 06-15-2011– From The Baltic Sea To The Tatra Mountain – Part 2 06-13-2011 – From The Baltic Sea To The Tatra Mountain- Part 1 05-08-2011 – Marta Ptaszyńska – Opera, Pan Marimba 10-27-2010 and 08-15-2007 – A MUSICAL PORTRAIT OF POLISH COMPOSER WOJCIECH KILAR  05-26-2010 – Musical Portrait Of Stanisław Sylwester Szarzyński 11-08-2009 – Polish Moods – Classical Discoveries Goes Jazz 06-05-2009 – Paweł Łukaszewski – A Musical Portrait 08-06-2008 – From The Baltic Sea To The Tatra Mountain – Millennium of Polish Music 09-07-2007  and 08-31-2007 – Warsaw Autum – The 50th Anniversary 05-24-2006 – The Glorous Sounds Of Polish Baroque 09-01-2004 – Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 3 08-22-2004 – Krzysztof Penderecki – Opera, Ubu Rex 03-26-2003 – Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 2 12-16-2001 – Moniuszko, Stanisław – Opera, Haunted Manor 09-02-2001 – Moniuszko, Stanisław – Opera, Halka 05-01-2001 – Polish Music Beyond Chopin and Górecki – 1