Requiem for the wellknown film-director Krzysztof Kieslowski | Music for contemplation, chill out and meditation. | Recorded in 1998 Zbigniew Preisner is Poland’s leading film-music composer and is considered to be one of the most outstanding film composers of his generation. When his friend, the famous director Krzysztof Kieslowski, suddenly died in 1996, he wrote his first large-scale work – “Requiem for my Friend”.

Zbigniew Preisner is Poland’s leading film-music composer and is considered to be one of the most outstanding film composers of his generation.
When his friend, the famous director Krzysztof Kieslowski, suddenly died in 1996, he wrote his first large-scale work – “Requiem for my Friend”.
Preisner/Kieslowski work together for films like "Three Colours Blue", "Three Colours White" or "Three Colours Red".

“Known more for his film scores than for his full-length concert works, Zbigniew Preisner injects a good dose of his famed film score methodologies into this recording. Divided into two parts, Requiem and Life, this work is outstanding in its first nine movements, capturing soaring choral blasts that startle and hold the ear steadily, as does the occasional churning organ and the chamber ensemble, which seems to make far more sound than is possible. The Requiem as a whole is also stylistically cleaved in two: Life heads wholeheartedly into the realm of filmic composition (doing so in four episodes). Resolution is always on the horizon, but the musical tensions seem directed toward a visual conclusion, rather than any kind of sonic release or resolution. To that end, the music itself, especially early in Life, is a bit thin. Maybe it's the alto saxophone, which plays simple figures that get washed out in the cavernous audio. Or maybe it's the building march-like cadence of the "Apocalypse "episode, which seems to announce a particular character without ever producing one. Perhaps it's the desire to create mood without exploring the complexities. As film music, this is excellent stuff, easily capable of throwing musical beams on action. As a purely sonic phenomenon, it's sometimes too much, sometimes too little, and only briefly balanced between the two.”

“This is a major work. If he were not so well known as a film composer, on the one hand, this work would bring him glory. But film composers rarely get respect in the classical world, even when crossing over.) I think Preisner easily ranks with Gorecki and Paart. No question. He writes in the voice of our era. On the other hand, if he wasn't so well respected in the film world, I doubt he could have gotten recorded here. To all that has been said by others here, I would only draw your attention to the "Lacrimosa." Perhaps the version in Part Two, Life: Apocalypse: Lacrimosa-Day Of Tears is the one that would appeal to the most people (although I prefer the version in Part One of the disk). If you're wanting surcease from events "apocalyptic" - either personally or nationally (a la 9/11) - listening to this can be like words to a friend, a voice from beyond (or to the Beyond)... It is the apotheosis of grief. Let the majestic chords wash over you like the ocean, cleansing and diminishing all obstacles with its power. An uncanny experience; and so highly recommended.”

“The music is haunting, and achingly beautiful. I am not one who especially loves the operatic soprano voice, and about the only opera I can take is Puccini. However, if you like the solo in Gorecki's Sym. #3, for example, you will love this cd. The sound is fine, with a cathedral-like ambience. I own over a thousand classical cd’s and this is one of my top 50 records.”



Zbigniew Preisner ist Polens bekanntester Filmmusik-Komponist und gilt in diesem Genre als einer der größten seiner Generation.
Als sein Freund, der bekannte Regisseur Krzysztof Kieslowski, für den er viele seiner Filmmusiken schrieb, 1996 plötzlich und unerwartet starb, schrieb er seine erste größere Partitur – “Requiem for my Friend” auch um sich von seinem Freund zu verabschieden.
Preisner und Kieslowki arbeiteten bei Filmen wie der Trilogie "Drei Farben Blau - Weiß - Rot" zusammen.

“Für die Freunde des klassischen Requiems findet sich hier ein ganz besonderes Bonbon. Preisner schrieb sein "Requiem for my friend" für seinen verstorbenen Freund Krzysztof Kieslowski, den bekannten Regisseur ("Drei Farben: Blau, Weiß, Rot"). Der Aufbau ist in seinen einzelnen Teilen angelehnt an das klassische lateinische Requiem, zumindest was den ersten Teil, das eigentliche Requiem angeht. Die zweite Hälfte, "Life" genannt, ist fast noch eindrucksvoller, die Klangfarben werden sphärischer, geheimnisvoller, insgesamt stärker. Musikalisch stellt das Werk einen Brückenschlag zwischen Klassik und moderner Musik dar und läßt sich nicht in eine der beiden Kategorien pressen. Aber keine Angst, auch wer sich von moderner Klassik bisher ferngehalten hat, wird hier nicht verschreckt. Sprachlich wird der Rahmen um griechisch und polnisch erweitert, zweifelsfrei zwei Sprachen, die dem ganzen einen zusätzlichen Reiz verleihen. Insgesamt ein sehr eindrucksvolles, gleichwohl mystisches und geheimnisvolles Werk. Wem Mozarts Requiem gefällt, sollte sich diese CD auf jeden Fall mal anhören. Eine Stereoanlage, die dem klanglichen Unfang des Werkes entspricht, ist allerdings Pflicht.”