Praying with Górecki

      A concert can be an emotional, spiritual, aesthetic, social, or entertaining experience, or a combination of some or all of these aspects, depending on the performers, the audience, and their interaction. The Georgia State University Symphony Orchestra concert on September 28, 2003, carried all of the above at the same time. In the second part of the afternoon the orchestra presented Henryk Górecki’s Third Symphony, “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” written for orchestra and soprano solo. This piece is certainly rooted in the Eastern tradition of solemn and meditative prayer. First, the text deals with the tragedy of a loss, whether it is Mary lamenting over Christ’s death, or a daughter, imprisoned by Gestapo, writing her last words to her mom, or a mother grieving the loss of her son in a war. These themes are deeply associated with the Poland’s history as well as Christian religion since the adoration of Mary is considered to be the most prominent characteristic of Polish Catholicism. Then there is music – solemn, monothematic, and repetitive. The sustained motifs, especially the extended cannon for strings, bring you to a state of meditation, almost a trance. This brought to my mind the praying of the rosary, which, if treated with due respect and absorption, may also create these states of mind.

      The Symphony No. 3 premiered in 1976 at the Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music, and met with diverse love-or-hate reaction. Its revival came in 1992, when the now famous recording by London Sinfonietta Orchestra, conducted by David Zinman with Dawn Upshaw as soloist, became an overnight hit and reached the top of the bestseller lists, not only classical. Excerpts from the Symphony were played on the London radio “Classic FM” and unexpectedly touched some sensitive part of the listeners’ hearts. The station had to play it over and over again on the request of the listeners, not only classical connoisseurs, but people who hardly ever listened to classical music. Since then the album has sold millions of copies and remains the best selling ever album of a contemporary composer. This recording was my first encounter with Górecki’s music and although I was really moved by the beautiful music, there is no comparison with the live performance. Unless you have a top quality home audio system, it is impossible to hear all the nuances especially because the Symphony has such diverse dynamics. It was during this concert that I could fully appreciate the beautiful opening of basses, gradually joined by cellos, violas, and violins, then by other instruments. This kind of the introduction of instruments is not new to classical music. The most famous example is Ravel’s “Bolero”, though with a different emotional effect. In Górecki’s Symphony this wave effect not only builds up the emotion but also, because of its repetitive and monotonous character, creates this mystic state of trance. It was during that concert that I really appreciated the text, so clearly delivered by a Polish-American GSU graduate student Magdalena Wór, who has already distinguished herself by winning the 2002 Mozarteum Competition and receiving Florence Kopleff Vocal Scholarship two years in a row. I have not heard Ms. Wór for a few years, and I was impressed with her growth. Her voice has matured; she has great technique and, unlike many classical singers, treats the clarity of text with the same respect as the control of tone and musical expression. Her soulful interpretation beautifully conveyed all emotions of sorrow, loss, regret, and torment. The warm timbre of her voice so wonderfully matched that of the orchestra – in the first movement her entrance was so blended with the orchestra that she sounded like just another instrument. The Symphony is written for a soprano and I was impressed how well Ms. Wór, a mezzo-soprano, handled that difficult part, which requires a good range and control. The orchestra, conducted by Leo Najar, a new GSU Symphony Orchestra conductor, played with great passion and intensity. Mr. Najar had conducted this Symphony before in Europe and was so fascinated by the piece that he decided to present it to the Atlanta audience, making it a debut of Górecki’s music in our city.

      So if for whatever reasons your life longs for that meditative part, no matter whether you are Catholic or not, or you simply would like to enjoy a piece of beautiful music, I really recommend this magnificent piece. Its message is powerful and universal at the same time. And, who knows, you might encounter the transcendental experience of your life.

Bożena Zaremba

(03-12-15)