Written for the 700th anniversary of Münster Cathedral in Germany and premiered there in 1966, the work is regarded as one of the masterpieces of 20th-century music.
The work is scored for three mixed choirs, a boys’ choir, three solo voices (soprano, baritone and bass), a reciter and large symphony orchestra.
Earlier in the day Penderecki will be a guest at a symposium entitled "Politics Meets Culture: the Political and Historical Significance of Penderecki’s St. Luke Passion", held at the Indiana University in Bloomington.
On Monday, Penderecki received an honorary doctorate from Indiana University. The ceremony was held at the Auer Hall of the Simon Music Center in Bloomington.
University President Michael A. McRobbie hailed Penderecki as "one of the most influential composers and performers of the past 50 years", whose "outstanding lifetime of achievement and remarkable talent continue to shape global musical culture and will certainly have a timeless impact."
Among those attending the event were Lee Feinstein, a professor at the university’s School of Global and International Studies and former US ambassador in Poland (2009-2012), and Piotr Wilczek, Poland’s ambassador to the US.
On 23 November, Penderecki will celebrate his 84th birthday. His honours include honorary doctorates from the universities of Rochester, Bordeaux, Leuven, Washington, Belgrade, Madrid, Poznań, Warsaw, Buenos Aires, Glasgow, Münster, Seoul and Kraków.
In addition to holding the highest Polish state distinction, the Order of the White Eagle, he is the recipient of the State Prizes of Germany, Austria, France and Monaco, the Arthur Honegger Prize, the Sibelius Prize and the Cannes Classical Award for "the best living composer of the year 2000".
(mk/pk)