Electronic Penderecki Concert at Fimucité Film Festival 2023

Written by Richard Archer 7th July 2023

Electronic Penderecki Concert at Fimucité film festival at prestigious Teatro Leal La Laguna, A concert paying homage to the late great Penderecki, will take us into a shared universe of cult film-makers David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick, and will serve as a tribute to Polish composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki, who passed away in 2020 and was renowned for his composition style, based around atonal works, some of which have featured in classic horror movies such as ‘The Shining’ or ‘The Exorcist’.

With a re-imagining collaboration between Juno Reactor and Jan Sanejko who created an incredible score, with performs from Juno Reactor, Liliana Iżyk and the Sinfonietta Cracovia and conducted by Katarzyna Tomala-Jedynak

I was lucky enough to be invited to last year’s Fimucité and also this year’s, I could not make the press conference so I message Ben (Juno Reactor ) to explain, “ He said to pop down at 4 pm for the dress rehearsal “, which I kindly accepted, and we could chat and catch up and I could make notes and take some pictures.

 

The Theatre was old and majestic, warm and intermate, with heavy deep mouldings and ornate architrave and heaving cast iron gold balustrading, but what struck me, were the walls and ceiling with beautiful hand-painted frescos, It had a magical feel with amazing acoustics.

After the rehearsal we went for coffee and chatted until it was time for the show, The doors opened at 8 and we all filed in and sat quietly in anticipation as the house lights faded to black, you could hear a pin drop and you could feel the energy buzzing around the theatre.

A low rumbling of a bass sound starts to emanate from the speakers, gathering in volume like an oncoming freight train, dark sounds making hairs stand up on your arms, manic strange sounds hanging in the air, a tempest of sound dark and sinister.

With sounds surrounding you and engulfing you, a sensory overload of sound and emotions.

Orchestral sounds with electronic overtones, performed in total synergy in perfect precision and acuity.

Every composition is so exquisitely executed with precision, with such incredible talent.

After every performance, the wide-eyed onlookers bust in rapturous applause.

 

FIRST HALF

De Natura Sonoris 1 (Krzysztof Penderecki – Arr. Jan Sanejko & Juno Reactor)

Awakening of Jakob (Krzysztof Penderecki – Arr. Jan Sanejko & Juno Reactor)

Polimorphy (Krzysztof Penderecki – Arr. Jan Sanejko & Juno Reactor)

Passachaglia – Allegro Moderato (Krzysztof Penderecki – Arr. Jan Sanejko & Juno Reactor)

Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima (Krzysztof Penderecki – Arr. Jan Sanejko & Juno Reactor

 

 

After a short intermission, the Second half commenced, the sound is not Dark,  but Light with such brightness and clarity with notes hanging in the Air, for a moment you could extend your fingers and touch them,  the efference of beautiful chords and strings uplifting your soul and elevating one’s spirit, and an incredible vocal performance by Liliana Iżyk.

Such a contrast in music to the first half, like summer and winter.  I can’t express my feelings the music brought back childhood thoughts of warm summer and happiness, I found it totally inspiring and I was totally emersed with the music and the performance.

 

SECOND HALF

Lolita – Tema de amor (Nelson Riddle – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

Barry Lyndon – Sarabande (George Frideric Handel – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

Blue Velvet – Main Theme (Angelo Badalamenti – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

The Straight Story – Rose Theme (Angelo Badalamenti – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

Mulholland Drive – Main Theme (Angelo Badalamenti – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

Wild at Heart – Dark Spanish Symphony (Angelo Badalamenti – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

Eyes wide shut – Vals 2 (Dmitri Shostakovich – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

Spartacus – Love Theme (Alex North – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

Twin Peaks – Laura Palmer’s Theme / Main Theme / Falling (Angelo Badalamenti – Arr. Leigh Phillips)

 

The performance finished with 10 minutes of a standing ovation,

I can say it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the word incredible and amazing does not do it true justice.

The performance of all the musicians was world-class, I wish more people could experience this phenomenal Concert.

I would like to thank Ben and all who made me feel very welcome and I am expressing my gratitude for such an experience.