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Gorecki's Totus Tuus

Sara Mohr Pietsch immerses us in the sound world of Totus Tuus by the Polish composer Henryk Gorecki, composed in 1987 in honour of a visit to Poland by Pope John Paul II.

Sara Mohr Pietsch immerses us in the sound world of Totus Tuus by the Polish composer Henryk Gorecki, composed in 1987 in honour of a visit to Poland by Pope John Paul II, who was himself Polish by birth. We hear other music written for Popes, including Palestrina's mass for Pope Marcellus, which was sung at Papal coronations for centuries; and there's a moment from the soundtrack from the 2024 film 'Conclave'. Totus Tuus praises the Virgin Mary, and Schubert's celebrated Ave Maria makes an appearance. There's also music from 800 years of pilgrimages and a look across Polish music, from a seventeenth century dance by Adam Jarsębski to the hypnotic contemporary piano writing of Hania Rani.

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27 days left to listen

1 hour, 29 minutes

Last on

Sunday 13:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Franz Liszt

    Années de pèlerinages I: IV au bord d'une source

    Performer: Bertrand Chamayou.
    • Naive.

  • Alfonso X el Sabio

    Cantigas de Santa Maria, CSM 123: Instrumental

    Ensemble: Hespèrion XXI. Director: Jordi Savall.
    • Alia Vox.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Harold in Italy - Serenade

    Performer: Tabea Zimmermann. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Colin Davis.
    • Alto.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Missa Papae Marcelli (Kyrie)

    Choir: Stile Antico.
    • Decca.

  • Franz Schubert

    Ave Maria D.839

    Performer: Luciano Pavarotti. Music Arranger: Douglas Gamley. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Kurt Herbert Adler.
    • Decca.

  • Volker Bertelmann

    Postlude of Conclave

    Orchestra: London Contemporary Orchestra. Conductor: Robert Ames.
    • Back Lot Music.

  • Henryk Górecki

    Symphony No 3, Op 36 'Symphony of Sorrowful Songs' (2nd mvt)

    Singer: Dawn Upshaw. Orchestra: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: David Zinman.
    • Gorecki: Symphony No. 3: Dawn Upshaw.
    • Elektra Nonesuch.

  • Adam Jarzębski

    Concerto a 3 voci e continuo: Tamburetto

    Ensemble: Il Pomo d’Oro.
    • Erato.

  • Grażyna Bacewicz

    String Quartet no.4: III Allegro giocoso

    Ensemble: Karski Quartet.
    • Evil Penguin.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    'Revolutionary Study' in C minor Op.10 no.12

    Performer: Maurizio Pollini.
    • Chopin: Etudes.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Hania Rani

    Speaking to the Past

    Performer: Hania Rani.
    • Gondwana Records.

  • Anon.

    Bogurodzica

    Choir: Ars Nova.
    • Dux.

  • Max Reger

    Maria Wiegenlied

    Performer: Renée Fleming. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andreas Delfs.
    • Decca.

  • Steve Reich

    Electric Counterpoint: II. Slow

    Performer: Pat Metheny.
    • NONESUCH.

  • Max Richter

    On the Nature of Daylight

    Performer: Louisa Fuller. Performer: John Metcalf. Performer: Philip Sheppard. Performer: Chris Worsey.
    • Voyager - Essential Max Richter.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.

  • Henryk Górecki

    Totus Tuus

    Choir: The Sixteen. Director: Harry Christophers.
    • Universal.

Broadcast

  • Sunday 13:30
    BBC Radio 3