Eugeniusz Rudnik (born 28 October 1932 in Nadkole upon Liwiec; died 24 October 2016) – modern Polish composer, electronics engineer and sound engineer. Pioneer of electronic and electro-acoustic music in Poland.

Curriculum vitae

In 1967 he graduated from the Faculty of Electronics on Warsaw University of Technology. Since 1955 he worked for Polish Radio, at first as the manager of plumbers, carpenters and painters. In 1958 he started working in the Experimental Studio of the Polish Radio, fourth such facility in Europe, founded and directed by Józef Patkowski. Between 1967 and 1968 Rudnik worked in the Studio for Electronic Music of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk in Cologne, when he cooperated with Włodzimierz Kotoński by the implementation of Klangspiele. At the same time Rudnik worked also with Karlheinz Stockhausen and Peter Kotik. In the late 60's and 70 Rudnik co- created some of Norwegian composer Arne Nordheim works, including Colorazione and Solitaire (1969) – which was made especially for the opening ceremony of the contemporary art center Norwegian Sonja Henie Onstad Art Centre Niels and Plus ou moins (1970), created for the Scandinavian pavilion at the World's Exhibition in Osaka – fully dedicated to the issue of degradation and the fundamental need of protection of the environment. Rudnik and Nordheim made together also interactive installation Sculpture sonore (1968) for the blind rehabilitation center in Oslo. He made dozens of works including: Andrzej Dobrowolski – Music for Magnetic Tape and oboe solo (1965), Krzysztof Penderecki – Psalmus (1961), Ekecheirija (1972) – especially for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Munich, Włodzimierz Kotoński – Aela (1970), Bogusław Schaeffer – Missa elettronica (1975 ). Rudnik collaborated with Franco Evangelisti during his probation years in the Experimental Studio in Warsaw, as well as with dozens of artists from the circle of music and other arts.

Rudnik was one of the first Polish electroacoustic music producers and co-founder of the so-called Polish school of electroacoustic music and author of innovative solutions of spatial sound projection, composer of Skalary (1966). He was also author of the one of the first in the world poliversional tracks to tape, and the first Polish track quadraphonic Vox Humana (1968) carried out in Studio WDR in Cologne. His work has defined and confirmed the role of sound producer as a co-author of the works of electroacoustic music.

As a composer he has created about 95 works, in studios of electronic music in Warsaw, Stockholm, Cologne, Paris, Bourges, Baden-Baden, Brussels and Ghent. They were presented on different radio stations throughout Europe and in many countries in the world, as well as many times at festivals: Warszawska Jesień, Musica Polonica Nova in Wroclaw, World Music Days in Finland, [[Muzicki Biennale]] Zagreb, Fylkingen in Stockholm, Berliner Festwochen, Festival d'Automne a Paris, [[L'Europe acousmatique]] at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, Phonurgia Nova in Arles and many others. In 2006, Rudnik was a central figure in Warsaw edition of Audio Art Festival. His composition Homo Ludens was presented in 1985 at the prestigious world exhibition of contemporary art Documenta VII in Kassel, where previously attended, among other, Tadeusz Kantor and Magdalena Abakanowicz. Many tracks of Rudnik were also nominated for the awards, including Prix Italia and Karl Szczuka Preis. In 2007, the National Library in Paris included 30 works Rudnik to its own special set of auditory art world.

As a performer of live electronic, Rudnik took part in the team improvisations in France and Poland together with Arne Nordheim, Francoise Bernard Mache, Kåre Kolberg and Bohdan Mazurek. He taught the students of the Music Academy in Warsaw and the Melchior Wańkowicz Warsaw School of Journalism, he is a lecturer at seminars of reportage, acceptant and juror of movies and journalism competitions.

Characteristics of work

Rudnik works can be divided into two categories; autonomous electroacoustic music and works known as "ars acustica". In both the composer uses electronic material, electronic processed concrete material with varying degrees of recognition of the source. The composer often uses collage method, making it a primary means of expression. Music genre "ars acustica" oscillate between the type of radio drama and music programs.

Awards and honors

He has received many awards. In addition to the ones already mentioned, they include one at the First International Electronic Music Competition in Hannover, USA, for Dixi (1968), first prize at the Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition (France) for Mobile (1972), 3rd prize in Bourges for Ostinato (1973), the second prize in Bourges for Homo Ludens, (1984), awarded the Chairman of the Committee on Radio and Television "for his outstanding achievements in the field of creativity and execution of experimental electronic music for programs of Polish Radio and Television" and the Warsaw Golden Badge of Honour for services to Warsaw (1987), an honorary radio award at the Festiwal Mediów "Człowiek w zagrożeniu" in Łódź for the "eternal and universal values of the human being documenting the threats of modern civilization" (1991), Euphonia d'or prize in Bourges again for Mobile and Golden Microphone Award for a "valued worldwide achievements in the field of radio art and experimental autonomous music " (1993) and the first prize (with Maria Brzezińska) at the XVII Międzynarodowy Katolicki Festiwal Filmów i Multimediów in Niepokalanów and at the "Dwa Teatry" festival in Gdańsk for Przyjaciółki z Żelaznej ulicy (2002). In 2000 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.

On 27 October 2012, at the Soundedit Festival, Rudnik received the award "Człowiek ze Złotym Uchem" for "pioneering work in the field of music production".

Autonomous pieces of art

1. 1965–Kolaż
2. 1965–Korzeń
3. 1965–Lekcja
4. 1966–Skalary – studium technologiczne
5. 1967–Dixi
6. 1968–Metamorfoza – muzyka ilustracyjna
7. 1968–Vox Humana
8. 1969–Rondo
9. 1970–My
10. 1971–Divertimento
11. 1972–Mobile
12. 1972–Mobile (wersja czterokanałowa)
13. 1973–Ostinato
14. 1973–Ready made
15. 1973–Wokale
16. 1974–Etiuda monotematyczna
17. 1974–Muzyka baletowa
18. 1974–Nature morte avec l’oiseau (wersja czterokanałowa)
19. 1974–Nature morte avec l'oiseau
20. 1974–Ostinato (wersja czterokanałowa)
21. 1974–Ring
22. 1974–Ring II
23. 1975–Gołębie Warszawy (nagranie czterokanałowe)
24. 1975–Nokturn
25. 1976–Cztery poematy
26. 1977–Ready made'77
27. 1978–Polak melduje z kosmosu
28. 1979–Etude de l'aspirine parisienne
29. 1979–Moulin diabolique
30. 1979–My
31. 1979–Nous
32. 1979–Omagio all'anonimo
33. 1980–Tryptyk – pamięci Franco Ewangelisty
34. 1982–Berceuse
35. 1982–Elegia – ofiarom wojny
36. 1982–Elegy to the victims of the war
37. 1984–Ekecheiria – szkic do portretu Mistrza
38. 1984–Homo ludens – balet radiowy nie pozbawiony elementów autobiografii
39. 1984–Kamienne epitafium – pamięci księdza Jerzego Popiełuszki
40. 1984–Szkic do portretu Mistrza
41. 1986–Podzwonne – pamięci Andrzeja Markowskiego
42. 1989–Gilotyna – dg
43. 1990–Annus miraculi
44. 1990–Via crucis – epitafium poświęcone pamięci polskich oficerów zamordowanych w kwietniu i maju 1940 przez NKWD i pogrzebanych we wsi Katyń koło Smoleńska
45. 1992–Pan Jezus niewierzących
46. 1992–Ptacy i ludzie – etiuda koncertowa na czworo artystów, troje skrzypiec, dwa słowiki, nożyczki i garncarkę ludową
47. 1994–Panichida – pamięci Jerzego Bienieckiego
48. 1995–Annus mirabilis
49. 1995–Diewuszka, wasze dokumienty
50. 1995–Interludia
51. 1995–Przyjaciółki z Żelaznej ulicy – radiowa ballada dokumentalna
52. 1995–Sekunda wielka – mała suita dokumentalna dla dorosłych
53. 1995–Theme G-M-E-B
54. 1997–Divertimento
55. 1997–Martwa natura z ptakiem, zegarem, strzelcem i panną
56. 1997–Pourqoi Cocteau – epitafium na śmierć Wielkiego Aktora George'a Genicot
57. 1997–Rumor
58. 1998–Homo radiophonicus – radiowa ballada dokumentalna
59. 1999–Jesień Ludów
60. 1999–Peregrynacje Pana Podchorążego albo nadwiślańskie żarna – radiowa ballada dokumentalna
61. 2001–Die Wandlung des Herrn Fahnrich oder die Muhisteine an der Weichsel -Eine dokumentarische mehrspachige Rundfunk Ballade
62. 2002–Śniadanie na trawie w grocie Lascaux
63. 2004–Agonia pastoralna
64. 2004–Johna pamięci rapsod frywolny
65. 2004–Manewry albo Dama i huzary – liryczny poemat dźwiękowy lub dźwiękowy poemat liryczny
66. 2005–Ecce homo
67. 2005–Epitafium – zamęczonym w kamiennym piekle Gross Rosen
68. 2007–Epilogos
69. 2007–Neomobile
70. 2008–Larum – „Dlaboga, co się stało z Wami Żołnierze?”
71. 2010–Dzięcielina pałała na taśmę