The great master of modern Polish music, Krzysztof Penderecki, born in 1933, permanently turned his back on the avant garde in the late 1970s. By embracing the traditions of the past, he became a leading player in the European post-Romantic movement. Penderecki made his big breakthrough in 1980 with his "Christmas" Symphony No. 2, in which he followed in the footsteps of Bruckner and Reger – themselves built on the work of Wagner. He raised eyebrows in three key moments in the work by referencing the classic Christmas carol Silent Night. The string of Penderecki symphonies written since then bear testimony to the popularity this return to the Romantic sound has earned with audiences and, to a large extent, critics. It should therefore come as no surprise that the maestro himself is happy to conduct works that represent turning points in music history. As a conductor, Penderecki generally prefers his own works, but of the handful of other composers he favours, it is the work of Dmitri Shostakovich he conducts with most gusto and enjoyment, particularly the Russian great's Sixth Symphony, written in 1939. Presented by: The Pannon Philharmonic – Pécs

Presented by: