Kilar, Wojciech

(1932-)

   Classical composer known worldwide and also a prolific, arguably the best, Polish author of music for film, television, and theater. Kilar composed music for more than 130 films made in Poland and abroad beginning with his debut, The Sleepwalkers (Lunatycy, 1959, Bohdan Poręba). Kilar's name is associated with several leading Polish directors. He composed music for all the films directed by Krzysztof Zanussi from The Structure of Crystals (1969) to Persona Non Grata (2005), including a number of classics such as Illumination (1973), Camouflage (1977), and Year of the Quiet Sun (1985). Kilar also composed music for the majority of Kazimierz Kutz's films, including Nobody Is Calling (1960) and the Silesian Trilogy (Salt of the Black Earth, 1970, The Pearl in the Crown, 1972, and Beads of One Rosary, 1980), Krzysztof Kieslowski's Blind Chance (1981/1987), and Jerzy Stuhr's One Week in the Life of a Man (1999). Among films with his musical scores are comedies (The Cruise, 1970), crime films (7he Criminal Who Stole a Crime, 1969), "Easterns" (Wolves'Echoes, 1968), and war classics (Westerplatte, 1967). He also composed music for some of Andrzej Wajda's films, among them The Promised Land (1975) and Pan Tadeusz (1999). Internationally, Kilar is perhaps best known for his work with Roman Polański (Death and the Maiden, 1994, The Ninth Gate, 1999, and The Pianist, 2002) and the haunting musical score for Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). Kilar's numerous film awards include ASCAP's best musical score award for Bram Stoker's Dracula, four Polish Film Awards "Eagles," and five awards at the Festival of Polish Films.

   Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof