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Caldera Records proudly presents Zbigniew Preisner's score for Gianluca Minucci's “Europa Centrale.” It is the early months of the Second World War. An exiled communist couple is on a train to Ljubljana. Driven by their fragile ideals, they are on a mission that might kill them. Their fellow travelers might not be their allies. One false step and their fate is sealed. The atmosphere is dense with fear. Outside, the war is raging. Does humanism have a chance of survival? Will they be able to make it? Zbigniew Preisner decided to use a choir, a string quintet and electronic instruments for a quasi-opera that provides the atmosphere for individual scenes and also captures the mood of the film as a whole to draw out its meaning for the time we live in. While the choir is mostly wordless, the composer in specific instances gave them a few carefully chosen phrases such as “pianto” (“cry”) and “pianto antico” (“ancient cry”) as well as “silenzio” (“silence”). The haunting finale uses words by Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy.” While the circumstances of the heroes in the period film are not in itself a laughing matter, the landscapes in which they and we move is marked by a grim absurdity, as Preisner elaborates: “The best musical form to convey this is opera, though stripped down, because both wartime and our present time were, and are, marked by austerity. That’s why a string quintet plays in place of a full orchestra, with modern electronic elements supporting it. The only element that retains its grandeur is the choir, which sings just a few words—because in the beginning, there was the word.” Zbigniew Preisner’s “Europa Centrale” is one of his most inspired works, a delicate, intricate and poignant comment on the fragility of our existence as individuals and societies. The 59th CD-release of Caldera Records features a detailed booklet text by Stephan Eicke and elegant artwork by Luis Miguel Rojas. The CD was mastered by Leszek Kaminski and produced by Stephan Eicke and Zbigniew Preisner. C6059 Music Composed and Produced by Zbigniew Preisner CD Produced by Stephan Eicke Executive Producers for Caldera Records: John Elborg, Stephan Eicke Album Art Direction and Design by Luis Miguel Rojas 1. Overture: Preghiera per Europa (2:08) 2. Pianto Antico (0:30) 3. Sogno Perduto (0:55) 4. Nel Silenzio Della Notte (1:55) 5. Le Dolenti Note (3:49) 6. Le Verità Sfuggenti (3:44) 7. Consolazione (2:55) 8. La Dolce Rimembranza (2:17) 9. Pianto per Europa (5:04) 10. Compianto (1:42) 11. Invocazione (3:46) 12. Silenzio, Silenzio (3:40) 13. Sospensione (1:25) 14. Ascolta, Europa (4:31) 15. Lamento per Europa (3:45) Producer’s Note: There is a slight distortion in the first track “Overture: Preghiera per Europa.” This is an artistic choice and not a producing or manufacturing error. For more information and sound clips, please visit our homepage: https://www.caldera-records.com/europa-centrale

C6045 Caldera Records is proud to present Zbigniew Preisner’s score for the motion picture “Man of God” from 2021, directed by Yelena Popovic. Popovic’s biopic chronicles the most turbulent years in the life of a man who had made it his mission to serve others and improve the conditions of those in need: Saint Nektarios. Popovic’s film shows how Nektarios helps the poor and destitute, provoking three objectors within the church turn to the bishop’s patriarch Sophronios. No longer wiling to hide their anger at Nektario’s servitude towards sinners and harlots, his enemies claim he will bankrupt the church and usurp the patriarchy. Without trial, Nektarios is convicted and exiled from Egypt in 1891. Particularly because of his deep love for Greece, its culture and people, Zbigniew Preisner was delighted to score “Man of God” – and agreed to do so without having read the script. From the beginning, it was clear to Preisner he wanted to use a choir – a Byzantine one. After some searching, he collaborated with the Choir of Chanters, “The Maestros of the Psaltic Art” (?? ?a?st??e? t?? ?a?t???? ??????), one of the most famous Byzantine Choirs. Following their collaboration of “Valley of Shadows”, Zbigniew Preisner and Lisa Gerrard worked together again. The latter recorded her sung parts – written by her – in Australia. Furthermore, Preisner felt it the right choice to use Greek instruments. It was obvious and necessary for a film about a Greek saint. The local color is provided by a qanun, a string instrument not dissimilar to the zither and often associated with Greece and its culture. “Man of God” is also notable for its mix of symphonic and electronic music, used to achieve spiritual metaphysics. “Man of God” is one of Zbigniew Preisner’s richest scores, a unique exploration of symphonic music infused with local, Greek, colour, electronics and Byzantine elements, particularly in the employment of Lisa Gerrard’s special talent, used to powerful effect. The 45th CD-release of Caldera Records features a detailed booklet-text by Stephan Eicke and elegant artwork by Luis Miguel Rojas. The CD was mastered by Leszek Kaminski and produced by Stephan Eicke and John Elborg. Music Composed by Zbigniew Preisner Album Produced by Stephan Eicke Executive Producers for Caldera Records: John Elborg, Stephan Eicke 1. Man of God – The Beginning of a Story (0:45) 2. Searching for Values (1:14) 3. Conversation (1:46) 4. Evia (1:11) 5. In the Darkness (2:15) 6. Serenity (2:14) 7. Kyrie Eleison (1:42) 8. Aegina (1:15) 9. New Life (2:16) 10. Conversation of God (2:02) 11. Kyrie Eleison (Byzantine Version) (1:27) 12. Beauty of Aegina (2:01) 13. Deceptive Calm (1:43) 14. Kyrie Eleison (Prayer) (2:01) 15. Misery (1:33)* 16. Serenity (Orchestral Version) (1:54) 17. Humiliation of the Priest (0:51) 18. Loss (1:55)* 19. Final Breath (2:04) 20. Song for Saint Nectarios (0:52) 21. Man of God – End Credits (4:53) *Music Composed by Zbigniew Preisner and Lisa Gerrard For more information, and to listen to sound clips, please visit our homepage: http://caldera-records.com/portfolio/man-of-god/