Wojciech Kilar Wojciech Kilar

Born: 17 July 1932, Lvov, Ukraine.

Biography:
Wojciech Kilar is inarguably one Poland’s finest composers. Born in Lvov in 1932 - now a city in Ukraine, it was part of Poland at the time – Kilar studied at some of Poland's finest music academies, including the State Higher School of Music in Katowice, before moving to Paris in 1959 to study under Nadia Boulanger at her Conservatoire. Having already received critical success as a classical composer, Kilar scored his first domestic film that same year, and ha since gone on to write music from some of Poland's most acclaimed directors, including Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Zanussi, Kazimierz Kutz and Andrzej Wajda. Having worked on over 100 titles in his home country, including internationally recognised titles such as "Bilans Kwartalny" (1975), "Spirala" (1978), "Constans" (1980), "Imperativ" (1982), "Rok Spokojnego Slonca" (1984), and "Zycie za Zycie" (1991), plus several others in France and across other parts of Europe, it was only a matter of time before Kilar was asked to score his first major American film. Francis Ford Coppola gave him his English-language debut with his vibrant adaptation of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992), and since then Kilar has built up a solid core of admirers in the film music world. His other English language features - Roman Polanski's trio "Death and the Maiden" (1994), "The Ninth Gate" (1999) and "The Pianist" (2002), and Jane Campion's "The Portrait of a Lady" (1996) - were typified by his trademark grinding basses and cellos, deeply romantic themes and minimalist chord progressions. Admirers of his work lament the fact that Kilar works on English-language films so infrequently – with the exception of The Pianist, all his scores since the turn of the millennium have been for Polish films directed by either Zanussi or Wajda. As well as his film work, Kilar continues to write and publish purely classical works, which have included a horn sonata, a piece for a wind quintet, several pieces for chamber orchestra and choir, the acclaimed Baltic Canticles, the epic "Exodus" (famous as the trailer music from Schindler's List), a Concerto for Piano and Orchestra dedicated to Peter Jablonski, and his latest major work, the “September Symphony” from 2003..

Reviews:
Bram Stoker's Dracula, Il Sole Nero, The Ninth Gate, Pan Tadeusz, The Pianist, The Portrait of a Lady, We Own the Night, Muzyka Filmowa 2 (compilation)

Links:
Wojciech Kilar WWW Site by Tomasz Tyksinski

Filmography:
Il Sole Nero (2007), We Own the Night (2007), Persona Non Grata (2005), Vendetta (2003), Pamietam (2002), The Pianist (2002), Suplement (2002), Zemsta (2002),Skarby Ukryte (2000), Zycie Jako Smiertelna Choroba Przenoszona Droga Plciowa (2000), The Ninth Gate (1999), Tydzien z Zycia Mezczyzny (1999), Pan Tadeusz (1999), Brat Naszego Boga (1997), Dusza Spiewa (1997), Linia Opózniajaca (1997), Ostatni Krag (1997), Cwal (1996), Damski Interes (1996), Niepisane Prawa (1996), The Portrait of a Lady (1996), Slaba Wiara (1996), Urok Wszetecznicy (1996), Fantôme Avec Chauffeur (1995), Death and the Maiden (1994), Faustyna (1994), Legenda Tatr (1994), Smierc Jak Kromka Chleba (1994), Der König der Letzten Tage (1993), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Dotkniecie Reki (1992), Le Retour (1991), Zycie za Zycie (1990), Napoleon (1990), Dluga Rozmowa z Ptakiem (1990), Korczak (1990), Stan Posiadania (1989), Gdzieskolwiek Jest, Jeslis Jest... (1988), Salsa (1988), Wygasle Czasy (1987), Kronika Wypadków Milosnych (1986), Wkrótce Nadejda Bracia (1986), Paradigma (1985), Na Strazy Swej Stac Bede (1984), Na Wszystkich Niedostepnych Drogach (1984), Rok Spokojnego Slonca (1984), Sinobrody (1983), Niedostepna (1983), Watykan - Stolica Kultury (1983), Marynia (1983), Imperativ (1982), Przypadek (1982), Pokuszenie (1981), From a Far Country (1981), Constans (1980), Ród Gasieniców (1980), Kontrakt (1980), Paciorki Jednego Rózanca (1980), Le Roi et l'Oiseau (1979), Drogi Wsród Nocy (1979), David (1979), Rodzina Polanieckich (1978), Spirala (1978), Ptaki Ptakom (1977), Lekcja Anatomii (1977), Brigitte Horney (1977), Dom Kobiet (1977), Barwy Ochronne (1976), Smuga Cienia (1976), Jaroslaw Dabrowski (1976), Tredowata (1976), Bilans Kwartalny (1975), Trzecia Granica (1975), Znikad Donikad (1975), Milosierdzie Platne z Góry (1975), Linia (1975), Drzwi w Murze (1974), Ziemia Obiecana (1974), Hubal (1974), Zabójstwo w Catamount (1974), Iluminacja (1973), Zazdrosc i Medycyna (1973), Opetanie (1973), Brylanty Pani Zuzy Zuza (1972), Hipoteza (1972) Perla w Koronie (1972), Boleslaw Smialy (1972), Wielka Milosc Balzaka (1972), Szklana Kula (1972), Rola (1971), Zycie Rodzinne (1971), Martwa Fala (1971), Pierscien Królowej Anny (1971), Przystan (1971), Sól Ziemi Czarnej (1970), Lokis (1970), Rejs (1970), Romantyczni (1970), Czerwone i Zlote (1969), Lalka (1969), Czlowiek z M-3 (1969), Molo (1969), Struktura krysztalu (1969), Przygody pana Michala (1969), Samotnosc we dwoje (1969), Sasiedzi (1969), Tylko umarly odpowie (1969), Zbrodniarz który ukradl zbrodnie (1969), Ostatni po Bogu (1968), Dancing w kwaterze Hitlera (1968), Tabliczka marzen (1968), Wilcze echa (1968), Chudy i inni (1967), Westerplatte Broni Sie Nadal (1967), Bicz bozy (1967), Sami swoi (1967), Cala naprzód (1967), Morderca zostawia slad (1967), Powrót na ziemie (1967), Stajnia na Salwadorze (1967), Ktokolwiek wie... (1966), Marysia i Napoleon (1966), Bumerang (1966), Jutro Meksyk (1966), Pieklo i niebo (1966), Katastrofa (1965), Salto (1965), Obok prawdy (1965), Pózne popoludnie (1965), Wyspa zloczynców (1965), Trzy kroki po ziemi (1964), Echo (1964), Giuseppe w Warszawie (1964), Pieciu (1964), Mansarda (1963), Kryptonim Nektar (1963), Czerwone berety (1963), Daleka jest droga (1963), Milczenie (1963), Glos z tamtego swiata (1962), I ty zostaniesz Indianinem (1962), Rodzina Milcarków (1962), Spotkanie w Bajce (1962), Tarpany (1962), Milczace slady (1961), Nikt nie wola (1960), Lunatycy (1959).

Highest Grossing Films as at end of 2007 (adjusted for inflation):
Bram Stoker’s Dracula ($140.8m), The Pianist ($39.7m), We Own the Night ($29.4m), The Ninth Gate ($24.5m), Salsa ($15.3m), The Portrait of a Lady ($5.9m), Death and the Maiden ($5.3m), Kontrakt (negligible grosses), Rok Spokojnego Slonca (negligible grosses), Le Roi et l’Oiseau (negligible grosses).

Awards:
2002 BAFTA Awards - Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music - The Pianist

Bram Stoker's Dracula Death and the Maiden Fantôme Avec Chauffeur From a Far Country Hubal Il Sole Nero Der König der Letzten Tage Korczak Kronika Wypadków Milosnych The Ninth Gate Pan Tadeusz The Pianist The Portrait of a Lady Le Roi et l'Oiseau We Own the Night Zemsta Zycie za Zycie Muzyka Filmowa (Compilation) Muzyka Filmowa 2 (Compilation)


Home Page | Reviews A-M | Reviews N-Z | Composers | Links

Site copyright © 1997-2008, Jonathan Broxton/Movie Music UK. This page copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. The reviews and articles contained herein may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of the author. Some artwork and multimedia material are © various record labels and artists. All photos, multimedia and album artwork used are for non-profit making, promotional purposes, and no copyright infringement is intended.