obit erdictum

[calimac]

Krzysztof Penderecki has died.

Here's a standard obit if you want one.

Here's what I wrote the last time I heard Penderecki in a concert. I still stand by it.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Looking at your review of the Threnody again I was inspired to listen to it. I made it about half-way through.

Here is a piece, mixing orchestra and rock band, that I think does what the Threnody should have: it starts out with simulated sirens, then adds some random-sounding notes that gradually build into one of the most heartbreaking pieces of music I know, maintaining a little bit of that random and chaotic sense all the way through without becoming simply ugly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLbuSH6VK64

[calimac]

Differences from the Threnody: 1) this dissonance is effective without being one-tenth as painful; 2) the dissonance doesn't last anywhere near as long; 3) the piece has a meaningful structure: dissonance overlaid by successive layers of consonance, which finally peel off to reveal the dissonance still underneath them.

It gives off to me an air of lack of profundity which I'm not sure I can analyze, but it certainly succeeds at communicating.