Celebration of Peace Through Music
Wojciech Kilar: Bogurodzica; Henryk Mikołaj Górecki: Totus Tuus, Op. 60; plus works by Verdi, Copland, Bernstein and Brahms
Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Gilbert Levine – cond.; Kraków Philharmonic Chorus; Washington Choral Arts Society
Delos Records DE3487
A Celebration of Peace Through Music was a special two-hour televised concert created by American conductor Sir Gilbert Levine that took place on May 5, 2014 in Washington, D.C. Through music, a language that supersedes all cultural boundaries, Levine led world-class vocal and orchestral ensembles in a moving tribute to Pope John XXIII, Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis — three spiritual leaders recognized for their devotion to promoting understanding and peace around the world. A Celebration of Peace Through Music was broadcast on public media stations nationwide in Spring 2015, particularly around Easter 2015, and was released on CD.
[Sources: naxos.com, weta.org]
2014 UNESCO Concert for Peace
Roxanna Panufnik: Three Paths to Peace; Richard Strauss: Symphonic Fantasy on Die Frau ohne Schatten, TrV 234a; Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in A Minor, “Tragic”
World Orchestra for Peace, Valery Gergiev – cond.
C Major 730204 (Blu-ray Disc Version)
This DVD of the 2014 UNESCO Concert for Peace—recorded live during the BBC Proms concert on July 20, 2014 at Royal Albert Hall—features Polish-British composer Roxanna Panufnik, daughter of Sir Andrzej Panufnik, performed by the World Orchestra for Peace. Founded in 1995 by the late Sir Georg Solti, the World Orchestra for Peace uses music as a universal language of peace that crosses all borders and brings people together by reminding them of everything they share.
[Sources: naxos.com, imc-cim.org, unesco.org]