Penderecki - St Luke Passion

Live recording from the Salzburg Festival, 20th July 2018. Recorded in the presence of the composer.

Krzysztof Penderecki'ssetting of the Passion story as told in the Gospel of St Luke was premièred in 1966 and immediately established a place for itself among the most important large-scale choral works of the twentieth century. Despite its decidedly modernist idiom, the music's emotional power, glowing colours and sonic impact spoke to audiences as well as critics, one of whom described St Luke's Passionas 'the most important bridge between the spirit of the liturgy and modern music.' Strongly influenced by the Passions of J. S. Bach, Pendereckipays homage to the great composer by using the B-A-C-H motif throughout the work, and like Bach he has arranged his Passion in two parts, with monumental choral numbers framing the whole.

Penderecki'sscore is for large forces including an extended orchestra, three mixed choirs, plus a boys' choir, speaker and three vocal soloists (soprano, baritone and bass).

On 20thJuly 2018 these all convened at the Felsenreitschulein Salzburg: l'Orchestresymphoniquede Montréalwith their principal conductor Kent Nagano, the Warsaw Boys' Choir and KrakówPhilharmonic Choir, the three soloists and the actor SławomirHolland. The occasion was the opening concert of the Salzburg Festival, and in the audience was the composer himself, Krzysztof Penderecki. Present was also a recording team led by Robert Suff, senior producer at BIS, and this disc is the document of this very special occasion.

Penderecki passed away on the 29th March 2020.