Editing Henryk Górecki (section)

==Critical opinion==
When placing Górecki in context, musicologists and critics generally compare his work with such composers as [[Olivier Messiaen]] and [[Charles Ives]].<ref name="T135">{{harvp|Thomas|1997|p=135}}</ref> He himself said that he also felt kindred with such figures as [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]], [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]] and [[Joseph Haydn|Haydn]], though he felt most affinity with [[Franz Schubert]], particularly in terms of tonal design and treatment of basic materials.<ref name="T135" /> In the Dutch documentary film series ''Toonmeesters'', of which episode 4 (1994) is about Górecki, he likened playing Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart every day to eating healthy whole grain bread every day. In the same episode he said that in Mozart and Schubert he found many new things, new musical answers.

Since Górecki moved away from serialism and dissonance in the 1970s, he is frequently compared to composers such as [[Arvo Pärt]], [[John Tavener]] and [[Giya Kancheli]].<ref name="Wright" /><ref name="T135" /> Although none have admitted to common influence, the term [[holy minimalism]] is often used to group these composers, due to their shared simplified approach to texture, [[tonality]] and [[melody]], in works often reflecting deeply held religious beliefs. Górecki's modernist techniques are also compared to those of [[Igor Stravinsky]], [[Béla Bartók]], [[Paul Hindemith]] and [[Dmitri Shostakovich]].<ref name="Holy minimalism"/>

In 1994, Boguslaw M. Maciejewski published the first biography of Górecki, ''Górecki – His Music And Our Times''.{{sfnp|Maciejewski|1994}} It includes a great deal of detail about his life and work, including that he achieved cult status thanks to valuable exposure on [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]].

Discussing his audience in a 1994 interview, Górecki said,
<blockquote>I do not choose my listeners. What I mean is, I never write for my listeners. I think about my audience, but I am not writing for them. I have something to tell them, but the audience must also put a certain effort into it. But I never wrote for an audience and never will write for because you have to give the listener something and he has to make an effort in order to understand certain things. If I were thinking of my audience and one likes this, one likes that, one likes another thing, I would never know what to write. Let every listener choose that which interests him. I have nothing against one person liking Mozart or Shostakovich or Leonard Bernstein, but doesn't like Górecki. That's fine with me. I, too, like certain things.<ref name="Duffie" /></blockquote>

Górecki received an honorary doctorate from [[Concordia University]], in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Concordia professor Wolfgang Bottenberg called him one of the "most renowned and respected composers of our time", and said that Górecki's music "represents the most positive aspects of the closing years of our century, as we try to heal the wounds inflicted by the violence and intolerance of our times. It will endure into the next millennium and inspire other composers".<ref>Bottenberg, Wolfgang. "[http://ctr.concordia.ca/archives/is191198/art1.html Gorecki, Martin to receive honours]". [[Concordia University]], 19 November 1998. Retrieved on 26 October 2008.</ref> In 2007, Górecki claimed 32nd place on the list of Top 100 Living Geniuses compiled by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567544/Top-100-living-geniuses.html |title=Top 100 living geniuses |access-date=3 November 2019}}</ref> In 2008, he received an honorary doctorate from the [[Academy of Music in Kraków]]. At the awarding ceremony a selection of his choral works was performed by the choir of the city's Franciscan Church.<ref>"[http://www.nonesuch.com/artists/henryk-gorecki Henryk Górecki Receives Honorary Doctorate from Krakow Music Academy]". [[Nonesuch Records]] (press release), 13 May 2008. Retrieved on 26 October 2008.</ref>