Concert on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki's birth - NOSPR

For some, a catharsis and proof of God’s existence, for others – a kitschy banality. Its admirers hear naturality, contemplation and emotional closeness, while adversaries can only hear monotony and oversimplified ideas. The first performances of the Symphony No. 3 in late 1970s divided both audiences and the musical circles. It was only after nearly two decades that we learnt by how many years Henryk Mikołaj Górecki had outrun his times. When the piece was registered by David Zinman with Dawn Upshaw and the London Sinfonietta, the Third broke out of control, climbing up international charts (surpassing such artists as Madonna, Sting, and Nirvana) and selling over a million copies. How could a composition so extensive, and simultaneously simple, have garnered international attention and permeated pop culture? This is still a riddle. Maybe, in the new world, we need calmness, celebration of sound, and delicacy all the more? The contents of the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs sung, and sometimes only hummed by the soprano, refers to a mother’s suffering after her child’s death – a topic still painfully up to date. At NOSPR, the work, arranged by Mari Fukumoto for soprano and organ, will be performed for the composer’s 90th birth anniversary. Although Górecki despised jubilees, he thought warmly of the cases when his pieces came to life in others’ arrangements and he did not need to participate in stressful rehearsals for a concert. He would be glad to see such a birthday.

                                                                                                                           Piotr Mika

Approximate time of concert: 50 min