I am loath to throw out any records or CD's that I've ever bought, and I
have in fact kept the few Penderecki discs (of both kinds) that I have.
His "Threnody..." is in fact a transcendently persuasive piece of music
whatever its original inspiration may have been. His Capriccio for Violin
and Orchestra is great fun, as are the two "De Natura Sonoris" pieces.
I'll admit that I don't keep up with his latest, and those conservative
works of his that I've heard (2nd symphony, Violin Concerto (for Isaac
Stern) don't inspire me to hear more. Among those pieces that have lost
their appeal for me are his "St. Luke Passion" (the work that converted
me to recognize avant-garde music as music rather than circus tricks--now
bores me silly) and Utrenja I (some incredibly beautiful passages among
some off-putting noise--now sounds like Orthodox liturgy with wrong notes).
Aaron J. Rabushka
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