From the 14th September Kraków will celebrate music again during this year’s Sacrum Profanum edition. Why is it worth going? As the previous guests were such performers as Kraftwerk or Sigur Rós it can only get better. The 12th Sacrum Profanum Festival brings together two distant musical worlds – classical and alternative. It presents music from the XXth century as one of the most intriguing festiwals in Europe.
This year, we will witness culminations of such events during exceptional concert cycles. The first, Modern!Now, is a substance of Sacrum Profanum’s core. During the opening on 14 September at Łaźnia Nowa, we’ll experience a synthesis of massive beats with orchestral sounds: Squarepusher and Sinfonietta Cracovia come together to perform. The concert also features works by György Ligeti, Iannis Xenaxis, George Benjamin, and Olivier Messiaen.
On 19 September, at Łaźnia Nowa again, we will hear London Sinfonietta in the acclaimed project Warp Works and 20th Century Masters. Original compositions by artists such as Conlon Nancarrow and John Cage are juxtaposed against arrangements by musicians signed to the Warp label, including Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and Mira Calix.
The cycle Classic!Now is the other essence of Sacrum Profanum. Continuing last year’s programme Field Recordings, Bang on a Can All-Stars make a welcome return to Kraków. Doing exactly what it says on the tin, the album comprises several compositions written especially for the New York formation by some of the most highly demanded contemporary artists. On 17 September, the sextet performs alongside Lee Ranaldo from Sonic Youth and the duo Skalpel at the Museum of Municipal Engineering. Pick up your ears – everything can be music.
Find out more about the artists and the tickets at http://www.sacrumprofanum.com
