In March 2012, Jonny and Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki released an album together on the Nonesuch label. It includes Jonny's "Popcorn Superhet Receiver" and a new string orchestra work, "48 Responses to Polymorphia" (an homage to Penderecki's "Polymorphia" of 1961).
On the album, the piece has been divided into 9 parts:
- Es ist Genug
- Ranj
- Overtones
- Scan
- Baton Sparks
- Three Oak Leaves
- Overhang
- Bridge
- Pacay Tree
The score for one section of "48 Responses to Polymorphia" is a picture of a purple oak leaf — the players all begin on a single note, then slide off according to the patterns of the veins on the leaf. "It's me blowing a bit of smoke up Penderecki,"" Greenwood said, "because he's obsessed with trees. He's got an arboretum."
Information from the Faber Music website:
Description: 48 solo strings (24 vln.8 vla.8 vlc.8 db), all doubling optional pacay bean shakersDuration: 19 (or 15)
Genres: String Orchestra
Instrumentation: 24 vln.8 vla.8 vlc.8 db - 48 pacay bean shakers* * - movements 4, 5 & 9 can be cut (creating a 15-minute version), in which case the shakers are not required Bean shakers are easily available on line from places such as: http://www.knockonwood.co.uk/Shakers/pacay-pod-shaker.htm http://www.tagua-tagua.com/seeds-sounds/pacay-seed-pod/
First Performance: FP: 9.9.2011, European Culture Congress, Hala Stulecia, Wroclaw: Sinfonietta Cracovia/Krzysztof Penderecki