[J]

Regarding Penderecki’s scoring tasks…. Yes, he did score https://www.maintitles.net/reviews/rekopis-znaleziony-w-saragossie/, but all the rest is tracked in music. Curiously, Penderecki sometimes called a few talks with a Polish director, making a film, while he was working on an autonome piece, later tracked into the film, a collaboration. And I think these remarks have led to ongoing false information regarding ‘the few’ original scores. However, there a maybe three short films, without a reliable source, or a means to watch them, that could have original scores, but I doubt it.

So yes, Kilar and Preisner.

Concerning Kilar, there are recurring atypical things; minimal, expressive themes, stark conceptual ideas for a lot of smaller films, great waltzes to things of great size and scope. This results in walls of sound/conceptual ideas in König der Letzten Tage, to introvert, sparse, stark and conceptual only music to Góry o zmierzchu.

https://www.maintitles.net/reviews/konig-der-letzten-tage/
https://www.maintitles.net/reviews/gory-o-zmierzchu/

(Spam approved, courtesy of Thor)

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Yes, he did score https://www.maintitles.net/reviews/rekopis-znaleziony-w-saragossie/,

Thanks for that review, Joep! I know of the film (never seen it) and might even have read your review once, but it was good to re-acquaint myself. So that is his only feature film score, then? Sounds fascinating, especially in-context.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Gorgeous 1998 score by Preisner, recently released for the first time on Caldera. That aching, moody sax, man. The haunting flutes. It’s quintessential Preisner. And at times slightly reminiscent of Eleni Karaindrou (especially her masterpiece THE BEEKEEPER, with Jan Garbarek’s sax solos).

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Mentioned this earlier, and playing it again now, as I’ve reached Lorenc in my collection walkthrough. Sumptious orchestral score with local gypsye colours, almost Goran Bregovic-style.

[J]

Two new reviews….

Witold Lutosławski – Suita Warszawska
https://www.maintitles.net/reviews/suita-warszawska/

Wojciech Kilar – Lokis. Rekopis profesora Wittembacha
https://www.maintitles.net/reviews/lokis-r-kopis-profesora-wittembacha/

On a sidenote, Zygmunt Konieczny is slowly becoming one of my most cherished Polish composers of all times…..

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Nice, J., I was waiting for some more info on Lutoslawski scores, as the subject was broached on the previous page.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Ooooh, Caldera has another Preisner release forthcoming, for Søren Kragh-Jacobsen’s ØEN I FUGLEGADEN (1997). Kragh-Jacobsen’s DRENGENE FRA ST. PETRI is a childhood favourite of mine, and the combination of the director and composer sounds tantalizing. Count me in!

https://www.caldera-records.com/island-on-bird-street

[Tall Guy]

I don’t think I’ve ever been let down by a Polish composer, favourites being Kilar, Kaczmarek, Preisner and Komeda. The latter had a tragic and premature end, as I expect most people here know, which draws me to him even more, and I also love the jazz albums Astigmatic and Crazy Girl.

I get the feeling that most of the better known Polish composers may have a more traditional conservatoire upbringing than those brought up further west, but I have no particular evidence to back this up.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

What’s the name of that Polish pianist/composer you’ve sometimes mentioned, TG? Wej-something.

[Author]

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