Jonny Greenwood & Krzysztof Penderecki's Album Lands March 13th, Features Music From 'There Will Be Blood' & More

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by Kevin Jagernauth
January 21, 2012 1:17 PM
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To call avant garde composer Krzysztof Penderecki an influence on Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood would be an understatement, but what has been so thrilling to watch is how the alternative-guitarist-turned-film-scorer has created his own bold, creative voice outside the band with his orchestral work. Well, Penderecki and Greenwood have at long last combined forces for an album which will illustrate musically both the passing of the torch from one generation to another, and yet also, how Penderecki's work continues to stand tall today.

Performed by the AUKSO Ensemble, the disc will feature compositions presented last September at the European Congress of Culture in Wrocław, Poland. Afterwards, the duo hit Kraków’s Alvernia Studios to lay down the tunes. So what are you going to hear? There will be 1960s works by Penderecki -- "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima" and "Polymorphia (for 48 strings)" (heard in "The Exoricst") -- in addition to Greenwood's response to the latter piece, "48 Responses to Polymorphia." Also included will be Greenwood's "Popcorn Superhet Receiver," which you've already heard portions of in Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood," and was inspired by Penderecki’s 'Threnody.'

So when can you buy this gift for your ears? March 13th. If you're in London, on March 22nd at the Barbican Hall, the AUKSO Ensemble will perform all the pieces on the disc in a live concert, led by Penderecki and the group's artistic director, Marek Moś. Tracklist and artwork below along with a portion of the live performance of "48 Responses to Polymorphia." [Nonesuch/TwentyFourBit/Pitchfork]