CD Notes

‘The booklet notes by Adrian Thomas, formerly head of music at Radio 3, are, as ever,
a work of art in their own right.’ – Michael McManus, The Gramophone (March 2013)
‘excellent essay’ – Peter Joelson, Audiophile Audition (February 2016)
‘excellent notes by Adrian Thomas’ – Phillip Scott, Limelight (June 2016)

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NEW in 2016!

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Among the companies for which I have written CD booklet notes are Argo, ASV, Bôłt, Chandos, Decca, EMI Classics, EMI Poland, Hyperion, Kairos, Kontrapunkt, Landor, Naïve Classique, Nonesuch, Olympia and Warner Classics. This selection of my notes is offered as a resource to anyone interested in Polish music.  Repertoire is listed below by composer and then chronologically.  Alternatively, please scroll down the CD NOTES tab above for complete CD booklets.

If you wish to quote from any of the notes, please acknowledge the author and either the url or the record label + catalogue number. If you are interested in commissioning CD booklet notes, please get in touch via the CONTACT tab above.

Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-69)

• Sinfonietta (1936): Hyperion CDA 67783 (2009)
• Violin Concerto no.1 (1937): Chandos CHAN 10533 (2009)
• String Quartet no.1 (1938): Chandos CHAN 10904(2) (2016)
• Overture (1943): Chandos CHAN 10533 (2009)
• String Quartet no.2 (1943): Chandos CHAN 10904(2) (2016)
• Sonata da camera (1945): Chandos CHAN 10476 (2008)
• Violin Concerto no.2 (1945): Chandos CHAN 10673 (2011)
• Symphony (1946): Hyperion CDA 67783 (2009)
• String Quartet no.3 (1947): Chandos CHAN 10904(2) (2016)
• Violin Sonata no.3 (1948): Chandos CHAN 10476 (2008)
• Concerto for String Orchestra (1948): Hyperion CDA 67783 (2009)
• Violin Concerto no.3 (1948): Chandos CHAN 10533 (2009)
• String Quartet no.4 (1951): Chandos CHAN 10904(2) (2016)
• Violin Concerto no.4 (1951): Chandos CHAN 10673 (2011)
• Violin Concerto no.5 (1954): Chandos CHAN 10673 (2011)
• Partita (1955): Chandos CHAN 10476 (2008)
• String Quartet no.5 (1955): Chandos CHAN 10904(2) (2016)
• Music for Strings, Trumpets and Percussion (1958): Hyperion CDA 67783 (2009)
• String Quartet no.6 (1960): Chandos CHAN 10904(2) (2016)
• String Quartet no.7 (1965): Chandos CHAN 10904(2) (2016)
• Violin Concerto no.7 (1965): Chandos CHAN 10533 (2009)

Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński (1807-67)

• Piano Concerto (1824): Chandos CHAN 10778(2) (2013)
• Symphony no.2 (1835, rev. 1862): Chandos CHAN 10778(2) (2013)
• original slow movement of Symphony no.2: Chandos CHAN 10778(2) (2013)
• Overture to Monbar (1836-38): Chandos CHAN 10778(2) (2013)

Ignacy Friedman (1882-1948)

• Piano Quintet (publ. 1918): Hyperion CDA 68124 (2016)

Henryk Mikołaj Górecki (1933-2010)

• Essay: ‘On Reflection’: Nonesuch 550588 (2016)
• Toccata (1955): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Four Preludes (1955): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Variations (1956): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Three Songs (1956): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Concerto for Five Instruments and String Quartet (1957): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Cantata (1968): EMI Music Poland 50999 2 36314 2 7 (2008)
• Canticum graduum (1969): Naive V 5019 (2005)
• Old Polish Music (1969): Argo 0289 4368 352 4 (1993)
• Two Sacred Songs (1971): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Euntes ibant et flebant (1972): Nonesuch 79348 (1994, reissued 2016)
• Amen (1975): Nonesuch 79348 (1994, reissued 2016)
• Symphony no.3 (1976): Warner Classics 437 964-2 (2003)
•  ”  (Symphonie no.3): Naive V 5019 (2005)
• Beatus Vir (1979): Argo 0289 4368 352 4 (1993)
• Szeroka woda (1979): Nonesuch 79348 (1994, reissued 2016)
• Miserere (1981): Nonesuch 79348 (1994, reissued 2016)
• ”  (Miserere): Decca 478 3537 (2012)
• Wisło moja, Wisło szara (1981): Nonesuch 79348 (1994, reissued 2016)
• O Domina Nostra (1985): EMI Music Poland 50999 2 36314 2 7 (2008)
• Pieśni Maryjne (1985): Decca 478 3537 (2012)
• Totus Tuus (1987): Argo 0289 4368 352 4 (1993)
•  ”  (Totus Tuus): EMI Music Poland 50999 2 36314 2 7 (2008)
• String Quartet no.1 (1988): EMI Music Poland 50999 2 36313 1 8 (2008)
•  ”  (String Quartet no.1): Hyperion CDA 67812 (2011)
• String Quartet no.2 (1991): Nonesuch 79319 (1993, reissued 2016)
•  ”  (String Quartet no.2): EMI Music Poland 50999 2 36313 1 8 (2008)
•  ”  (String Quartet no.2): Hyperion CDA 67812 (2011)
• Requiem für eine Polka (1993): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Valentine Piece (1996): Landor LAND 287 (2008)
• Lobgesang (2000): Decca 478 3537 (2012)
• String Quartet no.3 (1995/2005): Nonesuch 79993 (2007, reissued 2016)
•  ”  (String Quartet no.3): EMI Music Poland 50999 2 36313 1 8 (2008)
•  ”  (String Quartet no.3): Hyperion CDA 67812 (2011)
• Pieśń Rodzin Katyńskich (2004): EMI Music Poland 50999 2 36314 2 7 (2008)
• Symphony no.4 (2006): Nonesuch 549570 (2016)

Zygmunt Krauze (b.1938)

• Fête galante et pastorale (1975): Bôłt BR 1021 (2014)
• Piano Concerto no.1 (1976): Bôłt BR 1021 (2014)
• Suite de danses et de chansons (1977): Bôłt BR 1021 (2014)
• Violin Concerto (1980): Bôłt BR 1021 (2014)

Andrzej Kwieciński (b.1984)

• Umbrae (2004): Bôłt BR 1037 (2016)
• mural (2008-10): Bôłt BR 1037 (2016)
• Luci della notte V (2014): Bôłt BR 1037 (2016)
• Contregambilles (2014): Bôłt BR 1037 (2016)

Witold Lutosławski (1913-94)

• Lacrimosa (1937): Chandos CHAN 10688 (2011)
• Symphonic Variations (1938): Chandos CHSA 5098 (2012)
• Two Studies (1941): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Variations on a Theme of Paganini (1941): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Jedno słowo, jeden znak (c.1942-44): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Five Folk Melodies (1945): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Symphony no.1 (1947): Chandos CHAN 5108 (2013)
• Mała suita (Little Suite, 1950): Chandos CHSA 5106 (2012)
• Wyszłabym ja (1950): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Tryptyk śląski (1951): Chandos CHAN 10688 (2011)
• Bucolics (1952): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Muszelka (1952): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Pioreczka (1953): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Miniature (1953): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Three Pieces for Young People (1953): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Śpijże, śpij (1954): Chandos CHAN 10688 (2011)
• Concerto for Orchestra (1954): Chandos CHSA 5082 (2010)
• Dance Preludes (1954): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
• Dance Preludes (1954/55): Chandos CHAN 5108 (2013)
• Five Songs (1957): ASV DCA 1046 (1998)
•   ”  (Five Songs): EMI Classics 5 85773 2 (2004)
• Postlude no.1 (1961): EMI Classics 5 85773 2 (2004)
• Trois poèmes d’Henri Michaux (1963): EMI Classics 5 85773 2 (2004)
• String Quartet (1964): EMI Classics 5 85773 2 (2004)
•   ” (String Quartet): Hyperion CDA 67493 (2013)
• Paroles tissées (1965): EMI Classics 5 85773 2 (2004)
•   ”  (Paroles tissées): Chandos CHAN 10688 (2011)
• Symphony no.2 (1967): Chandos CHSA 5106 (2012)
• Cello Concerto (1970): EMI Classics 5 85773 2 (2004)
•   ”  (Cello Concerto): Chandos CHSA 5106 (2012)
• Preludes and Fugue (1972): EMI Classics 5 85773 2 (2004)
• Les Espaces du sommeil (1975): Chandos CHAN 10688 (2011)
• Variations on a Theme of Paganini (1941/78): Chandos CHSA 5098 (2012)
• Epitaph (1979): ASV DCA 1046 (1998) • Grave (1981/82): Chandos CHSA 5106 (2012)
• Symphony no.3 (1983): Chandos CHSA 5082 (2010)
• Chain 2 (1985): Chandos CHAN 5108 (2013)
• Chain 3 (1986): Chandos CHSA 5082 (2010)
• Partita (1984/88): Chandos CHAN 5108 (2013)
• Piano Concerto (1988): Chandos CHSA 5098 (2012)
• Chantefleurs et Chantefables (1990): Chandos CHAN 10688 (2011)
• Symphony no.4 (1992): Chandos CHSA 5098 (2012)

Paweł Mykietyn (b.1971)

• String Quartet no.2 (2006): Hyperion CDA 68085 (2015)

Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)

• Variations and Fugue in A minor (1884): Hyperion CDA 67562 (2007)
• Variations and Fugue in E flat (1903): Hyperion CDA 67562 (2007)
• Piano Sonata (1903): Hyperion CDA 67562 (2007)
• Symphony ‘Polonia’ (1908): Hyperion CDA 67056 (1998, reissued 2010)      

Krzysztof Penderecki (b.1933)

• String Quartet no.1 (1960): Hyperion CDA 67493 (2013)
• String Quartet no.2 (1968): Hyperion CDA 67493 (2013)
• String Quartet no.3 (2008): Hyperion CDA 67493 (2013)

Ludomir Różycki (1883-1953)

• Ballade in G minor (1904): Hyperion CDA 68066 (2016)
• Piano Quintet (1913): Hyperion CDA 68124 (2016)
• Piano Concerto no.1 (1918): Hyperion CDA 68066 (2016)
• Piano Concerto no.2 (1941): Hyperion CDA 68066 (2016)

Franz Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924)

• Piano Concerto no.1 in B flat minor (1876): Chandos CHAN 10814(2) (2014)
• Piano Concerto no.2 in C minor (1881): Chandos CHAN 10814(2) (2014)
• Piano Concerto no.3 in C sharp minor (1889): Chandos CHAN 10814(2) (2014)
• Piano Concerto no.4 in F minor (1908): Chandos CHAN 10814(2) (2014)

Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)

• Concert Overture (1905): Chandos CHSA 5115 (2013)
• Symphony no.1 (1906-07): LSO Live LSO0731 (2013)  programme note
•  ” (Symphony no.1): Chandos CHSA 5143 (2014)
• Symphony no.2 (1910): LSO Live LSO0731 (2013)  programme note
•  ” (Symphony no.2): Chandos CHSA 5115 (2013)
• Love Songs of Hafiz op.26 (1914): Chandos CHSA 5143 (2014)
• Symphony no.3 (1914-16): LSO Live LSO0739 (2013)  programme note
•  ” (Symphony no.3): Chandos CHSA 5143 (2014)
• Violin Concerto no.1 (1916): Decca 0289 436 8372 2 (1993)
• Stabat Mater (1925-26): LSO Live LSO0739 (2013)  programme note
•  ” (Stabat Mater): Chandos CHSA 5123 (2013)
• Harnasie (1923-31): Chandos CHSA 5123 (2013)
•  Symphony no.4 ‘Symphonie Concertante’ (1932) : LSO Live LSO0739 (2013)  programme note
•   ” (Symphony no.4): Chandos CHSA 5115 (2013)
• Violin Concerto no.2 (1933): Decca 0289 436 8372 2 (1993)

Paweł Szymański (b.1954)

• Two Pieces for string quartet (1982): Hyperion CDA 68085 (2015)
• Five Pieces for string quartet (1992): Hyperion CDA 68085 (2015)
• Four Pieces for string quartet (2013): Hyperion CDA 68085 (2015)

Juliusz Zarębski (1854-85)

• Piano Quintet (1885): Hyperion CDA 67905 (2012)

Aleksander Zarzycki (1834-95)

• Grande Polonaise (1859-60): Hyperion CDA 67958 (2013)
• Piano Concerto (1859-60): Hyperion CDA 67958 (2013)

Władysław Żeleński (1837-1921)

• Piano Concerto (1903): Hyperion CDA 67958 (2013)
• Piano Quartet (n.d.): Hyperion CDA 67905 (2012)

Agata Zubel (b.1978)

• Not I (2010): Kairos 0013362KAI (2014)
• Aphorisms on Miłosz (2011): Kairos 0013362KAI (2014)
• Shades of Ice (2011): Kairos 0013362KAI (2014)
• Labyrinth (2011): Kairos 0013362KAI (2014)