Radiation

Maria Dąbrowska [1958]

The impact of Lutosławski's Concerto for Orchestra on me was overwhelming. The music was astonishing, penetrating to the bone. I would love to hear it again soon.

Maria Dąbrowska, Journals 1914–1965, entry from June 9, 1958

Jan Krenz [1996]

In 1945, after the war, musical life in Poland was revived, and artistic institutions, education, and orchestras were re-established. Composers emerged, including many highly talented ones such as Roman Palester, Andrzej Panufnik, Artur Malawski, and Witold Lutosławski. To illustrate this development, Jan Krenz uses a sports analogy: after a long race, a few of the best runners pull ahead, but Lutosławski, without competing, consistently pursued his goal and became synonymous with greatness and excellence both in Poland and worldwide.

Jan Krenz in conversation with Elżbieta Markowska, in: Jana Krenza pięćdziesiąt lat z batutą. Rozmowy o muzyce polskiej, Cracow 1996, p. 89-90

Teresa Chylińska [1980]

Witold Lutosławski, an extraordinarily original and artistically sensitive composer, emerged as a leading figure among European creators. Throughout his career, he developed a distinct musical language, combining folk influences with personal stylistic elements. His works from 1933–1944 laid the foundation for his style, which later incorporated harmonic and rhythmic innovations. His Concerto for Orchestra exemplifies his mastery of technique and originality. The composer’s exploration of rhythm and the introduction of aleatory techniques, as seen in Venetian Games, showcases his innovative approach to form and time flow.

Teresa Chylińska, Witold Lutosławski, in: Teresa Chylińska, Stanisław Haraschin, Bogusław Schaeffer, Przewodnik koncertowy, Cracow 1990, pp. 538–539

Charles Bodman Rae [1994]

It is possible to attempt an evaluation of Lutosławski's work, but conclusive judgments will likely continue to evolve for many years after the composer's death. However, it is already clear that Lutosławski should be regarded as one of the greatest European composers since Bartók, whom he naturally succeeded. He earned universal respect and admiration from composers of all generations and nationalities, not as a superficial ritual but through years of deep appreciation for his compositional logic, attention to detail, and unique musical language.

Charles Bodman Rae, Muzyka Lutosławskiego, translated by Stanisław Krupowicz, Warsaw 1996, pp. 267–8

Steven Stucky [2001]

The true Lutosławski should not be seen as an avant-garde artist, but rather as a classic, like Stravinsky or Bartók— a modern composer of the pre-war era for whom "the presence of the past," both his own and the traditions inherited from Vienna, Paris, and St. Petersburg, was the central artistic fact. If we are witnessing the end of the modern era, Lutosławski stands as an artist whose importance lies not in innovation, but in the great synthesis of his time’s best traditions and discoveries.

Steven Stucky, Continuity and Change: The Essence of Lutosławski's Style, in Estetyka i styl twórczości Witolda Lutosławskiego,
edited by Zbigniew Skowron, Cracow 2000, p. 196.

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