The Sacred in Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s Oeuvre and the Greatness of John Paul II Inspirations and Context
Teresa MALECKA
Department of Music Theory and Interpretation, Faculty of Composition, Interpretation and Music Education, Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music, ul. św. Tomasza 47, 31-027 Cracow, Poland , PolandAbstract
The author argues that the sacred informs Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s oeuvre. The considerations start with a brief examination of the sacred in music in general, based on research in literary studies, philosophy, and theory of music. At the center are the composer’s religious works, which define the differentia specifica of his output. To describe them, the author uses the method of integral interpretation developed by Mieczysław Tomaszewski. Due to the importance of the textual element in the composer’s works, special attention is given to the relationships between word and sound, sacred text and sacred music. Górecki’s important statements are analyzed as interestingly documenting his self-reflection and, above all, his unique personality. Since Górecki drew unfaltering inspiration from the intellectual outlook and personality of Pope John Paul II, the author of the paper scrutinizes, on the one hand, the teaching of John Paul II on music and art and, on the other, the special bond between the composer and the Pope.
Keywords:
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, the sacred, John Paul II, music, word, beautyDepartment of Music Theory and Interpretation, Faculty of Composition, Interpretation and Music Education, Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music, ul. św. Tomasza 47, 31-027 Cracow, Poland
