KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI, Poland’s leading composer and conductor whose music became known worldwide through his work in Hollywood films such as “The Shining” and “The Exorcist,” has died. He was 86. Penderecki died Sunday at his home in Krakow in southern Poland after a long illness, his family said in a statement released by the Ludwig van Beethoven Association, which was founded by his wife Elzbieta. The association said Penderecki had a “long and serious illness.” The cause of his death is unknown, but was understood to not to be associated with the coronavirus; Penderecki tested negative for the virus after his carer was diagnosed with COVID-19. Often inspired by religious themes or world-shattering events, Penderecki’s distinctive style was first recognized by a major figure in Hollywood when William Friedkin used four of his pieces, including a score from his controversial 1969 work “The Devils of Loudon.” His other distinctions include the “Best Living Composer” award at the Cannes Midem Classic music event in 2000, and Poland’s highest distinction, the Order of the White Eagle, bestowed in 2005. (SD-Agencies) |