Jerusalem has special significance for Penderecki, who first visited it in 1974, following the ‘Yom Kippur’ war. He was commissioned then to write a work for the third millennium celebration of the city of David. He composed the oratorio Seven Gates of Jerusalem in 1996 – the Eighth Gate being reserved for the Messiah in Jewish tradition. It was premièred there the following year, with Lorin Maazel conducting. Following the work’s Polish première, the composer decided to call it his Seventh Symphony.