Topic: Henryk Górecki dead

[Rik]

Henryk Górecki, who died on November 12 aged 76, was a Polish composer who achieved immense popularity in Western Europe and America in the 1990s thanks to the ethereal splendour of his Symphony No 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs), which briefly reached No 6 in the British charts, just behind Paul McCartney.

[Simon]

Can't say I've heard it, or of him, but 

[Rik]

You'd probably recognise the Dawn Upshaw vocal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plMd6K4_ENY

also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miLV0o4AhE4

[Simon]

I'll check them out later.

[Rik]

They are what I would term soul-tearing selections, very powerful music.

[GillE]

The popularity of his music played havoc with classical music radio stations.  Suddenly there was a piece of music everyone wanted to hear but which was copyrighted so the radio stations would have to pay the Performing Rights Society if they broadcast it.  It came as quite a shock - the works they had broadcast previously were all out of copyright.

[Rik]

It was a very strong feature of the early days of Classic FM.

[Simon]

I don't usually find music on it's own affects me emotionally.  Lyrics can, but not instrumental passages. 

[Rik]

Try these, see what happens.

[sam]

I'll take a look at him later too, the name doesn't ring a bell.

[Rik]

If it doesn't squeeze the breath out of you, knowing what it's about, Sam, I'd be amazed. Watch the second clip first.

[sam]

will do, also found a torrent of symphony no 3

[Rik]

Go for the whole thing, then, Sam. Just be prepared to feel drained at the end of it. At least that's what it does to Sue and me, it's like being placed in the spectator gallery at Auschwitz.

[Simon]

A joyous experience, then. 

[Rik]

Certainly not that, but moving, yes.