Henryk Mikołaj Górecki (6 December 1933 – 12 November 2010) was a Polish co… Read Full Bio ↴Henryk Mikołaj Górecki (6 December 1933 – 12 November 2010) was a Polish composer of contemporary classical music. According to critic Alex Ross, no recent classical composer has had as much commercial success as Górecki. Górecki became a leading figure of the Polish avant-garde during the post-Stalin cultural thaw. His Webernian-influenced serialist works of the 1950s and 1960s were characterized by adherence to dissonant modernism and drew influence from Luigi Nono, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Krzysztof Penderecki and Kazimierz Serocki. He continued in this direction throughout the 1960s, but by the mid-1970s had changed to a less complex sacred minimalist sound, exemplified by the transitional Symphony No. 2 and the hugely popular Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs). This later style developed through several other distinct phases, from such works as his 1979 Beatus Vir, to the 1981 choral hymn Miserere, the 1993 Kleines Requiem für eine Polka and his requiem Good Night.
He was largely unknown outside Poland until the mid-to late 1980s, and his fame arrived in the 1990s. In 1992, 15 years after it was composed, a recording of his Third Symphony, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs—recorded with soprano Dawn Upshaw, conductor David Zinman and released to commemorate the memory of those lost during the Holocaust—became a worldwide commercial and critical success, selling more than a million copies and vastly exceeding the typical lifetime sales of a recording of symphonic music by a 20th-century composer. As surprised as anyone at its popularity, Górecki said, "Perhaps people find something they need in this piece of music [...] somehow I hit the right note, something they were missing. Something somewhere had been lost to them. I feel that I instinctively knew what they needed." This popular acclaim did not generate wide interest in Górecki's other works, and he pointedly resisted the temptation to repeat earlier success, or compose for commercial reward.
Some of Górecki's music has been adapted for film soundtracks, most notably fragments of his Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. They are featured in Peter Weir's 1993 film Fearless, Julian Schnabel's 1996 biographical drama film Basquiat, Shona Auerbach's 1996 film Seven, Jaime Marqués's 2007 film Ladrones, Terrence Malick's 2012 experimental romantic drama To the Wonder, Paolo Sorrentino's 2013 art drama film The Great Beauty, Felix van Groeningen's 2018 biographical film Beautiful Boy, and Terrence Malick's 2019 historical drama A Hidden Life. It has also appeared on television in numerous TV shows including the American crime drama television series The Sopranos, American TV series Legion, crime thriller television series The Blacklist, as well as the historical drama The Crown.
Górecki's music covers a variety of styles, but tends towards relative harmonic and rhythmical simplicity. He is considered to be a founder of the so-called New Polish School. Described by Terry Teachout, he said Górecki has "more conventional array of compositional techniques includes both elaborate counterpoint and the ritualistic repetition of melodic fragments and harmonic patterns."
His first works, dating from the last half of the 1950s, were in the avant-garde style of Webern and other serialists of that time. Some of these twelve-tone and serial pieces include Epitaph (1958), First Symphony (1959), and Scontri (1960) (Mirka 2004, p. 305). At that time, Górecki's reputation was not lagging behind that of his near-exact contemporary and his status was confirmed in 1960s when "Monologhi" won a first prize. Even until 1962, he was firmly ensconced in the minds of the Warsaw Autumn public as a leader of the Polish Modern School, alongside Penderecki.
Danuta Mirka has shown that Górecki's compositional techniques in the 1960s were often based on geometry, including axes, figures, one- and two-dimensional patterns, and especially symmetry. Thus, she proposes the term "geometrical period" to refer to Górecki's works between 1962 and 1970. Building on Krzysztof Droba's classifications, she further divides this period into two phases: (1962–63) "the phase of sonoristic means"; and (1964–70) "the phase of reductive constructicism" (Mirka 2004, p. 329).
During the mid-1960s and early 1970s, Górecki progressively moved away from his early career as radical modernist, and began to compose with a more traditional, romantic mode of expression. His change of style was viewed as an affront to the then avant-garde establishment, and though he continued to receive commissions from various Polish agencies, by the mid-1970s Górecki was no longer regarded as a composer that mattered. In the words of one critic, his "new material was no longer cerebral and sparse; rather, it was intensely expressive, persistently rhythmic and often richly colored in the darkest of orchestral hues".
Apart from two brief periods studying in Paris and a short time living in Berlin, Górecki spent most of his life in southern Poland.
Henryk Górecki was born on 6 December 1933, in the village of Czernica, in present-day Silesian Voivodeship, southwest Poland. The Górecki family lived modestly, though both parents had a love of music. His father Roman (1904–1991) worked at the goods office of a local railway station, but was an amateur musician, while his mother Otylia (1909–1935), played piano. Otylia died when her son was just two years old, and many of his early works were dedicated to her memory. Henryk developed an interest in music from an early age, though he was discouraged by both his father and new stepmother to the extent that he was not allowed to play his mother's old piano. He persisted, and in 1943 was allowed to take violin lessons with Paweł Hajduga; a local amateur musician, instrument maker, sculptor, painter, poet and chłopski filozof (peasant philosopher).
During the last decade of his life, Górecki suffered from frequent illnesses. His Symphony No. 4 was due to be premiered in London in 2010, by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, but the event was cancelled due to the composer's ill health. He died on 12 November 2010, in his home city of Katowice, from complications arising from a lung infection. Reacting to his death, the head of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music, Professor Eugeniusz Knapik, said "Górecki's work is like a huge boulder that lies in our path and forces us to make a spiritual and emotional effort". Adrian Thomas, Professor of Music at Cardiff University, said "The strength and startling originality of Górecki's character shone through his music [...] Yet he was an intensely private man, sometimes impossible, with a strong belief in family, a great sense of humour, a physical courage in the face of unrelenting illness, and a capacity for firm friendship". He was married to Jadwiga, a piano teacher. His daughter, Anna Górecka-Stanczyk, is a pianist, and his son, Mikołaj Górecki, is also a composer. He was survived by five grandchildren.
Górecki was awarded the Order of the White Eagle by the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski, Poland's highest honour, just a month before his death. The Order was presented by the wife of President Komorowski in Górecki's hospital bed. Earlier, Górecki was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta II class and III class and the Order of St. Gregory the Great.
The world premiere of the Fourth Symphony took place on 12 April 2014. It was performed, as originally scheduled in 2010, by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, London, but with Andrey Boreyko conducting, instead of Marin Alsop.
He was largely unknown outside Poland until the mid-to late 1980s, and his fame arrived in the 1990s. In 1992, 15 years after it was composed, a recording of his Third Symphony, Symphony of Sorrowful Songs—recorded with soprano Dawn Upshaw, conductor David Zinman and released to commemorate the memory of those lost during the Holocaust—became a worldwide commercial and critical success, selling more than a million copies and vastly exceeding the typical lifetime sales of a recording of symphonic music by a 20th-century composer. As surprised as anyone at its popularity, Górecki said, "Perhaps people find something they need in this piece of music [...] somehow I hit the right note, something they were missing. Something somewhere had been lost to them. I feel that I instinctively knew what they needed." This popular acclaim did not generate wide interest in Górecki's other works, and he pointedly resisted the temptation to repeat earlier success, or compose for commercial reward.
Some of Górecki's music has been adapted for film soundtracks, most notably fragments of his Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. They are featured in Peter Weir's 1993 film Fearless, Julian Schnabel's 1996 biographical drama film Basquiat, Shona Auerbach's 1996 film Seven, Jaime Marqués's 2007 film Ladrones, Terrence Malick's 2012 experimental romantic drama To the Wonder, Paolo Sorrentino's 2013 art drama film The Great Beauty, Felix van Groeningen's 2018 biographical film Beautiful Boy, and Terrence Malick's 2019 historical drama A Hidden Life. It has also appeared on television in numerous TV shows including the American crime drama television series The Sopranos, American TV series Legion, crime thriller television series The Blacklist, as well as the historical drama The Crown.
Górecki's music covers a variety of styles, but tends towards relative harmonic and rhythmical simplicity. He is considered to be a founder of the so-called New Polish School. Described by Terry Teachout, he said Górecki has "more conventional array of compositional techniques includes both elaborate counterpoint and the ritualistic repetition of melodic fragments and harmonic patterns."
His first works, dating from the last half of the 1950s, were in the avant-garde style of Webern and other serialists of that time. Some of these twelve-tone and serial pieces include Epitaph (1958), First Symphony (1959), and Scontri (1960) (Mirka 2004, p. 305). At that time, Górecki's reputation was not lagging behind that of his near-exact contemporary and his status was confirmed in 1960s when "Monologhi" won a first prize. Even until 1962, he was firmly ensconced in the minds of the Warsaw Autumn public as a leader of the Polish Modern School, alongside Penderecki.
Danuta Mirka has shown that Górecki's compositional techniques in the 1960s were often based on geometry, including axes, figures, one- and two-dimensional patterns, and especially symmetry. Thus, she proposes the term "geometrical period" to refer to Górecki's works between 1962 and 1970. Building on Krzysztof Droba's classifications, she further divides this period into two phases: (1962–63) "the phase of sonoristic means"; and (1964–70) "the phase of reductive constructicism" (Mirka 2004, p. 329).
During the mid-1960s and early 1970s, Górecki progressively moved away from his early career as radical modernist, and began to compose with a more traditional, romantic mode of expression. His change of style was viewed as an affront to the then avant-garde establishment, and though he continued to receive commissions from various Polish agencies, by the mid-1970s Górecki was no longer regarded as a composer that mattered. In the words of one critic, his "new material was no longer cerebral and sparse; rather, it was intensely expressive, persistently rhythmic and often richly colored in the darkest of orchestral hues".
Apart from two brief periods studying in Paris and a short time living in Berlin, Górecki spent most of his life in southern Poland.
Henryk Górecki was born on 6 December 1933, in the village of Czernica, in present-day Silesian Voivodeship, southwest Poland. The Górecki family lived modestly, though both parents had a love of music. His father Roman (1904–1991) worked at the goods office of a local railway station, but was an amateur musician, while his mother Otylia (1909–1935), played piano. Otylia died when her son was just two years old, and many of his early works were dedicated to her memory. Henryk developed an interest in music from an early age, though he was discouraged by both his father and new stepmother to the extent that he was not allowed to play his mother's old piano. He persisted, and in 1943 was allowed to take violin lessons with Paweł Hajduga; a local amateur musician, instrument maker, sculptor, painter, poet and chłopski filozof (peasant philosopher).
During the last decade of his life, Górecki suffered from frequent illnesses. His Symphony No. 4 was due to be premiered in London in 2010, by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, but the event was cancelled due to the composer's ill health. He died on 12 November 2010, in his home city of Katowice, from complications arising from a lung infection. Reacting to his death, the head of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music, Professor Eugeniusz Knapik, said "Górecki's work is like a huge boulder that lies in our path and forces us to make a spiritual and emotional effort". Adrian Thomas, Professor of Music at Cardiff University, said "The strength and startling originality of Górecki's character shone through his music [...] Yet he was an intensely private man, sometimes impossible, with a strong belief in family, a great sense of humour, a physical courage in the face of unrelenting illness, and a capacity for firm friendship". He was married to Jadwiga, a piano teacher. His daughter, Anna Górecka-Stanczyk, is a pianist, and his son, Mikołaj Górecki, is also a composer. He was survived by five grandchildren.
Górecki was awarded the Order of the White Eagle by the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski, Poland's highest honour, just a month before his death. The Order was presented by the wife of President Komorowski in Górecki's hospital bed. Earlier, Górecki was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta II class and III class and the Order of St. Gregory the Great.
The world premiere of the Fourth Symphony took place on 12 April 2014. It was performed, as originally scheduled in 2010, by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, London, but with Andrey Boreyko conducting, instead of Marin Alsop.
Lento
Henryk Górecki Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Lento' by these artists:
24 Preludes op.28 - No.13 in Fis-dur Quiero que me bese lento Que me toque lento Que lo mueva…
Alegrìa One, two, three, four Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh Uh-uh…
Amen Lento, lento Voy a matarte Voy a violarte Tú sólo muévete, m…
Amor Carlín Algo pasó entre nosotros Que se hacía más fuerte cada vez…
Ankhal Uuh-uuh uh, yeah Uhah, uh ah La discoteca está llena y me…
Anne Lukin Lento, me muevo lento Como una nube al son del viento Lento,…
Ariann Music El que quiera, que se suba Que lo baile, que sacuda Con…
Bandalos Chinos Te encontré con mis miedos ayer Salían de la casa para…
BORO Ehi, ehi Baby, sto fuman- ehi D-D-D-Don Joe Baby, sto fumand…
Brian & El Pillo Hoy es noche de perreo, noche de bailoteo quiere que me…
Café Tacvba Rápido Cada vez se va haciendo, Más veloz. ¿Qué no sient…
Cami Y si me vas a romper el corazón Hazlo lento, muy,…
Camila Luna Te abrazo como una brisa Abraza a los que la respiran Llevo…
Coti Ser delicada y esperar Dame tiempo para darte Todo lo que te…
Daniel Santacruz No quiero separarme de ti Ni siquiera un momento, No quiero …
Darkiel No te quites la ropa, quiero hacerlo yo Déjame saborearme tu…
David Bisbal Voy a nadar en un reloj de arena Que da la…
Delfina Campos En una noche cualquiera te vi entrar, rodeado de otros…
Diamond X Lento Lento Si tú lo quieres iremos lento Tardaré una hora d…
Dr. Arnd Stein ¡Que vienen!,¡que vienen! ¡Que vienen los lentos!, los ávido…
El BAI no sé si será su cortecito O el sabor de sus…
Érika Martins If you want a little of my Should I wait And walking…
Estani Hoy me desperté Pensando en lo que fuimos otra vez Y en…
EstoeSPosdata Si apagan la luz Si apagan la luz Quiero nenas con…
Eva Ruiz Slowly, slowly, wanna make love with you Estamos en las 212…
Eve Calletti Me querías amar No pude acercarme sin pensar Puedo adivinart…
Fármacos Si puedo hundirme para navegar Algo nos haría resistir Y bañ…
Fat Jota Para olvidarme de ti voy a tener que salir de vacaciones, pa…
Fault Can't take the antagonism, this contempt sets the boiling po…
FMK Hoy me desperté Pensando en lo que fuimos otra vez Y en…
Frankie Negron mirame en los ojos dime lo que estoy pensando dime si…
Gemeliers Te vi, no supe que decir Mis ojos se clavaron en…
Glory Glow dale al dembow (agarrate) Glow dale al dembow (sueltate…
Gocho Ahi va la gata que maltrata Ella luce fina pero baila…
Guanaco Eyyy! Pesos pesados son system original rudeball en la casa …
Guerrero Cuando Ella me baila asi Lento lento Cuando Ella me…
Idaira Si quieres un poco de mí Me deberías esperar Y caminar a…
Inés Pacheco Todo es raro no me encuentro no sé dónde estas Siento…
Isla Mujeres Una música en el balcón Un mensaje, peligro Que no da, que…
J Balvin (Tinini, tanana, biko biko) J Balvin, man, je (Make you stan…
Jayma & Dalex Ft. Cosculluela Yo me acerque Me di de cuenta que le gustaba Cuando te…
Juan Lopez La ra la la la la Ju ju ju La ra la…
Julieta Venegas Si quieres un poco de mí Me deberías esperar Y caminar a…
Kitri 流れてゆく時の中で ふるさとの空は変わらないまま あなたがいて わたしがいる なんて当たり前なことだろう 囁いた風と …
LA BANDA ALGARETE Te vas Y no dejaste nada Te vas y me dejas solo Te…
La Barra Mírame en los ojos, dime si no estoy pensando Dime si…
La Isla Centeno Aunque estás aquí Sé muy bien que te vas a ir Lo…
La rappresentante di lista Lento Lento, Lento, come l'ultima stella che si accende a il…
Lauren Jauregui Cae la madrugada Y la noche acaba de empezar (de empezar),…
Lauren Jauregui & Rauw Alejandro Esto e' un perreo pa' las nena' Que están soltera' Cae la…
Lauren Jauregui & Tainy Cae la madrugada Y la noche acaba de empezar (de empezar),…
Lauren Jauregui Rauw Alejandro Esto e' un perreo pa' las nena' Que están soltera' Cae la…
Lauren Jauregui Tainy Cae la madrugada Y la noche acaba de empezar (de empezar),…
Lost A.M. Lento mami Lento mami Lento mami Lento mami Let me see you g…
Lostin Milo Mi nombre es un eje circular Me abro hacia lo oscuro Me…
Lucero Gotas de lluvia en la cara Olor a tierra mojada Que fuera…
Luny Tunes Estoy perdiendo la cabeza y todo el control Alucinando que e…
Lunytunes & Tainy Mozart La Para, boomba! Sean da Paul Mozart La Para de este…
M.Ferrero Lento mami Lento mami Lento mami Lento mami Let me see you g…
Ma-e Não quero me separar de ti Nem se quer um momento…
Malfunk Testo: M. Cocci Musica: E. Amendolia - M. Cocci - F.…
Mammut (Oficial) Se pierden a lo lejos Como un eco que se va Cada…
Master Joe & O.G. Black Préndelo, pásalo, tira los poderes Baby tú me puedes That wo…
Mida Mhm-mhm Balli sopra questo dance floor, sembra che Tu non si…
Miguel Bosé Lento... cómplice en el tormento Lento... busco tu pensamie…
Miranda Santizo Lento de lejos te vi y no me esperaba que aquí yo…
Moderato & Belinda Quizá no sientas lo que yo sentí Tal vez no hay…
Monitor Nos olvidamos de todo y al mismo tiempo estamos Cuánto, cuán…
Mr Eazi (Tinini, tanana, biko biko) J Balvin, man, je (Make you stan…
N- Fasis Mira mami Te acuerda' cuando antes le dabamos con el Pa' ar…
Nah Youn Sun Sun scatters light through the grass Lotus blows, as I pass …
Najwa Some is love (Lento) Mami, work your back I like slow dancin…
Natusha Leeeeeento Hay cosas que sólo se hacen Leeennnto Para hacert…
Naurange Lento, lento Que hasta el tiempo se canse de esperar Lento…
Neutro Shorty Te volví a llamar, mami Para faltarte el respeto... Soy Neu…
Nfasis Mira mami Te acuelda cuando antes le dabamos con elll Pa rri…
Nocturne No. 13 Dejame tocarte Y la boca besarte Me dice que soy suyo no…
P-Man SA Buenas noches Muévete lo más sensual Que yo te quiero mirar …
Pacifico In questa notte di nebbia tutto sembra sospeso Ritrovo u…
Pignoise si se me olvida mentir para no hacerte sufrir no es…
Professor Put your hands in the air Noma ngathiwa uyinikwa umvelinqang…
Professor feat. Speedy Nguban' ongakniki mpilo ingela mpinda Abantu bathi yimpintsh…
Pønce Cuándo se me hará Que caminemos juntos y otra vez imaginar Q…
RAF Camora & Ahmad Amin Ah, Mädchen mach Lento Reduzier' mal dein Tempo Du redest zu…
RBD Estoy perdiendo la cabeza y todo el control Alucinando que e…
RBD Ft Wisin & Yandel Estoy perdiendo la cabeza y todo el control Alucinando que …
RBD ft. Wisin & Yandel Estoy perdiendo la cabeza y todo el control Alucinando que e…
Revir Salimos de noche a la disco A ver quien podemos encontrar Un…
Roberto Shore Gotas de lluvia Caen por mi ventana Todo el mundo durmiendo …
Roome Vice Acércate por un momento Déjate llevar por la curiosidad Y so…
Rou C La la la la Voy con la plata en la…
Rudy Mancuso Yes, yes Yes, yes I really need to get out of my…
Salvapantallas Si quieres un poco de mí Me deberías esperar Y caminar a…
Santacruz No quiero separarme de ti Ni siquiera un momento No quiero p…
Santiago Saez Mírame, siente Después vemos, mami ¿Dónde estabas cuando te…
Santy-P Buenas noches Muévete lo más sensual Que yo te quiero mirar …
Santy-P Moree Neri Lento, lento, seguro y sin prisa Me hablaron de droga les…
Sara Tunes No sé que quieres pero vas muy lento Para alcanzarme te…
Sean Paul Mozart La Para, boomba! Sean da Paul Mozart La Para de este…
Shark Camp Si quieres un poco de mí Me deberías esperar Y caminar a…
Simona Le miento Juego con sus sentimientos Le gusta que se lo haga…
SonAbril Alúmbrame, alúmbrame 'lumbrame Anda esta noche, una serena…
Sonner Y es que tengo poco tiempo y muchas ganas de…
South Ryders Feat. Randy WY Records (Wisin) A mi tu música no me impresiona Randy”No…
Speedy Put ur hands together, put ur hands together Noma ngathiwa u…
Sud Sound System Papa Gianni, Treble & GgD Lento, ho il mio tempo…
T.y.S & Alex B Oye gata Ese culo que tu tienes Mmm Te delata Mira como te e…
Tainy Mozart La Para, boomba! Sean da Paul Mozart La Para de este…
Tainy Lauren Jauregui Cae la madrugada Y la noche acaba de empezar (de empezar),…
Tainy Sean Paul & Mozart La Para Mozart La Para, boomba! Sean da Paul Mozart La Para de este…
Technicolor Fabrics Ya ni sé ne donde estoy Lento en cada reacción Y puedo...…
Teo Florez Es que nos vamos pa' tu casa lo hacemos en…
Thalía ¡Thalía! ¡Gente de Zona! Me desnuda tu mirada Cuando me…
Thalía feat. Gente De Zona Thalía Gente de zona Me desnuda tu mirada Cuando me llevas …
Thalia Gente de Zona ¡Thalía! ¡Gente de Zona! Me desnuda tu mirada Cuando me…
Vaes Siento que la vida pasa y pasa lento Las heridas sanan…
Vanessa Zamora No sé lo que somos pero hay conexión Eres el reflejo…
Venegas Julieta Si quieres un poco de mí Me deberías esperar Y caminar a…
Vito e Gli Eneas E' questo l'anzirap non è una stravaganza metti lo bene in…
Wisin y Yandel La noche es tuya Voy por ti (de hoy no puede pasar ) Con…
Wisin & Yandel (Eh-eh-eh-eh) (Eh-eh-eh) (Eh-eh-eh) La noche es tuya Voy po…
Wisin & Yandel Ft RBD Estoy perdiendo la cabeza y todo el control Alucinando que e…
Wisin y Yandel La noche es tuya Voy por ti (de hoy no puede pasar ) Con…
Yomel El Meloso Mami, ya yo vine a buscarte No tengas miedo de escaparte Que…
Youn Sun Nah Sun scatters light through the grass Lotus blows, as I pass…
Yuridia Si quieres un poco de mi me deberias esperar, y caminar a…
Zanto W, E Signo del dóla' y la T Zanto, baby WE$T DUBAI, lo…
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