Penderecki, Krzysztof

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Polish composer. His expressionist works, such as the Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima (1961) for strings, use cluster and percussion effects. He later turned to religious subjects and a more orthodox style, as in the Magnificat (1974) and the Polish Requiem (1980–83). His opera The Black Mask (1986) uncovered a new vein of surreal humour.

His early music made use of aleatory techniques (see aleatory music) and microtonal clusters developed by Iannis Xenakis (1922–2001) and Witold Lutoslawski. Belonging at one time to the avant-garde, he dramatically changed style during the 1970s and began writing in a 19th-century orchestral style with occasional surface dissonance (a form of Neo-Romanticism). He gained great commercial success with these later works.

The disc represents the full moon, traditionally the most auspicious time for work and celebration. The disc is set towards the hoist. Effective date: 1 January 1981. >>