I still remember when I first heard Symphony 3 by Henryk Gorecki – it was in the later part of 1999 and it was one of those rare moments where I was awake during a lecture at the Queensland Conservatorium (hey, I did say this blog would be honest!). I attribute my awakedness to the fact that Stephen Emerson was lecturing – finally, someone who knew how to keep an audience’s attention!
Anyhow, I can’t remember the context of the lecture but I remember Emerson playing excerpts from the first movement. By the next day, I had listened to the entire work twice in the library and by the end of the week had made my way to a music store (iTunes was still just a thought in Steve Jobs’ head at the time). Some 11 years later, I still listen to it and am moved in no smaller way as during all those years ago.
I am not going to talk much about the work itself – I won’t deny you that journey. I will say that I really LOVE music that draws directly from people’s experiences – not just an abstract concept or music written for it’s own sake. I still dig those types of music too, don’t get me wrong.
And…yeah – that’s all I’ll say. Enjoy and be moved 