Krzysztof Penderecki receives a long, standing ovation after the performance of his St Luke Passion at Canterbury Cathedral.

Click on the audio icon to listen to the report by Michał Kubicki

The work was performed by the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, three choirs from Poland and Polish soloists under the composer’s baton. The concert was a part of the contemporary music festival Sounds New which this year had the motto ‘Polish Connections’.  Its Artistic Director Paul Edlin talks about audience reactions.

In addition to Penderecki’s St Luke Passion, the programme of Sounds New included a wide selection of works  by such composers as  Szymanowski, Panufnik, Lutoslawski, Bacewicz, Gorecki,  Szymanski and Mykietyn. Polish musicians featured at Sounds New included the Silesian Quartet, the Camerata Silesia Singers’ Ensemble from Katowice, the soprano Olga Pasiecznik and the pianist  Maciej Grzybowski. 

One of the festival’s sideline events was an academic conference on Polish music since 1945 organized by the University of East Anglia.