Search - Stephen Roberts, Krzysztof Penderecki, Polish Radio Orchestra & Chorus Katowice :: Krzysztof Penderecki: St. Luke Passion

To extreme for some

David Brooks | Spruce Grove, AB Canada | 03/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Penderecki is the most significant Polish composer of his generation and one of the most inspired and prolific musicians to emerge from East Europe since the second world war. Although he outraged many with his avant-garde style, it earned him the title of "the creator of contemporary music for audiences who hate it. "St Luke Passion" would be his most moving musical masterpieces of the twentieth century by expressing the sufferings and death of Christ and at the same time the tragic experiences of our time. He was the first Polish composer to tackle a large scale symphonic work which had been scored for three solo voices, narrator, three mixed choirs, boy's choir and orchestra and draw obvious influences from Bach's "St Luke Passion. The widely spaced choir's uttering crowd noises would be one example of the emotional extremes that Penderecki would demostrate in this work and among other works...he tread a path between sacred and profane, lamentation and ecstasy and in doing so angered many critics. This disc is beautifully recorded by British engineers in Poland and will remain a powerful and moving piece."

Penderecki's masterpiece in a fine recording.

Brian M. Kulesza | Joliet, Illinois | 05/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can claim no expertise in the intricacies of Penderecki's music. However, I can tell you that I am a great admirer/fan of Penderecki's music, and particularly this recording, one of the favorites in my collection.



I loved the engineering, which sounded as if just the right amount of reverberation were captured. Since I'm no choral expert (but a choral music lover) I cannot contradict the previous reviewer's criticisms of this choir's intonation, especially in light of the vocal effects that Penderecki's score demands.



However, I do love this piece (evocative of course of the events unfolding in its pages).



Try listening to this and then flipping to a recording of, say Utrenya I and II, and notice the even denser sonorities and sound clouds. (Some of Utrenya II was used in Kubrick's movie "The Shining" by the way).



Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this recording of the St. Luke Passion."