Górecki awarded Honorary Fellowship in Poland
January 2008
At a ceremony in the Polish mountains on 14 January 2008, the distinguished Polish composer Henryk Mikolaj Górecki was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by Cardiff University. The ceremony was conducted by Mrs Louise Casella (Director of Strategic Development) and Professor Ken Woodhouse (Pro-Vice-Chancellor in charge of External Relations). Professor Adrian Thomas (School of Music and Director of the Central European Music Research Centre at Cardiff University) was also present. Among the guests were Mrs Jadwiga Górecka, Cardinal Macharski, former Archbishop of Kraków, the local MP (and host for the evening) Mr Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, representatives from the Mayor's office, colleagues from the Academy of Music in Kraków, including Dr Teresa Malecka, and friends of the composer.
The award ceremony took place in Zakopane, whose architecture, painting, music and folk culture was made famous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The location for the ceremony was chosen because of Górecki's 50-year association with Zakopane and its environs and because he now lives nearby, in the village of Zab, with its panoramic views of the Tatra mountains. The venue was the Karczma przy Mlynie (Inn by the Mill), one of the oldest wooden buildings in the town (it dates from the early 1900s) and a fine example of what is now known as the Zakopianski style. Among the creative forces who developed the cultural life of the mountains was Dr Tytus Chalubinski, and the folk march named in his honour was performed as a prelude to the ceremony by a góral (mountaineers') band.
In the citation, Mrs Casella highlighted the fact that 2008 marks not only the 125th anniversary of the founding of Cardiff University and of its School of Music but also Górecki's 75th birthday. "We are delighted', she said, "that the first major event of this celebratory year is this Fellowship ceremony". She went on to cite the close research links between Cardiff University and Central European music and the performances of Górecki's music by the School's Contemporary Music Group and Chamber Choir. The citation praised Górecki for "his independence of thought and independence of spirit. His work is grounded in a profound humanity and is rooted in the folk and religious culture of his native Poland. While his music refers to the classical traditions, with iconic quotations of Beethoven, Chopin and Szymanowski, it remains uniquely his own, from his earliest avantgarde and experimental compositions through to his later works. His music and his personal values have touched international audiences."
At the end of the ceremony, Professor Górecki was presented with the certificate of Honorary Fellowship by Professor Woodhouse as well as gifts from the University. In recognition of Górecki's love of painting and mountains, and as a gift from the School of Music, Professor Thomas presented him with an illustrated volume of the work of the distinguished Welsh artist, Sir Kyffin Williams.
The evening was rounded off by more góral music and a splendid supper of dishes typical of Zakopane and its region.