Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, who died aged 77 on 12th November 2010, was a great composer of church music, the man with a heart of gold, a remarkable mystic of sounds, decorated by Pope Benedict XVI with The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great in 2009. We will certainly remember him for his words on heavenly meadows with which he closed his doctoral lecture at our Academy of Music in Cracow: if there are Heavenly Meadows there must be Heavenly Beings. Heavenly Meadows – Heavenly Beings. Sending there our musical thoughts. In his works we can observe how various layers intermingle. His life experiences of pain and suffering (composer’s mother’s early death, his poor health) as well as the growing influence of the music of Silesian region, the so called “Silesian school of life”, Polishness, patriotism and deep faith, they all intertwined in his life. What fascinates most in all Górecki’s highly individual works is “constant endurance” – realism and truth of life hidden in sounds. Maybe this permanent note, which determines the character, the distinguishing feature and phenomenon of his genius – makes a fundamental and a root. For indeed, this “music house” was not built on sand, but on rock.
The artist guides us around his compositions by means of „a cry of a naked soul” in „Genesis”, through pain and emotions in “Symphony No. 1” (1959), through dialogue and drama of the tone colours constructed in “Ad Matrem” (1971). A partner in the dialogue is a WORD. In Symphony No. 2 „Copernican” (1972) he bravely professes his faith. In Symphony No. 3 “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” (1976), through authentic and deep experiencing as revealed in the composition, we can hear the sources which were essential for the composer: a person and his suffering, the Silesian origin with the touch of a highlandish note, strong Polish rootedness, and the religious declaration “Credo in unum Deum”. When analysing „Beatus Vir” (1979), clearly affected by the spirit of John Paul II, the Great Pope’s election in particular, or historically grounded “Miserere” (1981), we can definitely say that we hear a real “Mystic of sounds”, of the caliber of Hildegard of Bingen or Olivier Messiaen. Out of sheer piety did Górecki compose “Five Marian Songs” (1985) and “21 Church Songs” (1986). His music of the 90s strongly resounds with instruments. It is pure, captivating with colour and strength. Perhaps it might sound even stronger without accompaniment of words. In “Little Requiem” or “Quartet no. 4” we can discover the sound, unrevealed before, deeply rooted in man, in his heart and conscience. It is the hidden voice of God. The stillness of this music reaches the deepest core. It acts more strongly than words.
There is also another vital feature of the religious music composed by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki and his desire to reach „heavenly meadows”, namely, his fascination with the person and teaching of John Paul II. The composer once confessed: I truly live mainly because I have been this fortunate – perhaps not overly, yet for me fortunate enough – to meet Him. And “Beatus Vir”, mentioned above, proves it most greatly. In 1977 Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, before his election for the Holy See, had requested the musicians to compose the music piece for celebrating the 900th anniversary of martyrdom of St. Stanislaus. The theme was difficult indeed to struggle with. The composer had to search historical sources and suitable texts for lyrics. He closely observed the final days of Paul VI’s pontificate and the beginning of John Paul I. On 16th October evening 1978 he was seriously confused with the context: for whom and about whom should I compose? Should it be about St. Stanislaus or rather the Pope “from a far country”? The tension surrounding the composition of psalm “Beatus Vir”(both political and personal) demanded from him tremendous spiritual strength without which this work, touching the idea of sacrum, would never have been realised. He searched for sources until spring 1979. Finally, as often in his works, he found the inspiration in, never-failing, the Book of Psalms. The composer harmonised the fragments of several psalms so as to create, from two symbolic characters, one – universal – of “blessed man” – “beatus vir”.
The music of one of the greatest Polish composers of the turn of the millennium is the art of the highest rank, yet he modestly described it as follows: for me the music is the effect of religious attention and meditation. So as to see clear water, green grass, healthy forests, to breathe with clean air. To see the Creator of all things – and to compose for him.