'The year 2014 saw the popularisation of music by Andrzej Panufnik primarily through musicological studies, album releases and concerts. The reason was, of course, the centenary of the composer’s birth. Here I discuss one of the fruits of these celebrations, concerning the piano music of both Andrzej and his daughter Roxanna. There are very few piano works by Panufnik. I am only aware of three surviving piano compositions: the 12 Miniature Studies (formerly known as The Circle of Fifths), Reflections and Pentasonata. These were created in three different periods of Panufnik’s creative output. The Studies are from 1947 (in later years the composer revised the work in preparation for the London edition), Reflections – 1968, and Pentasonata – 1984. Each of the Miniature Studies is a kind of microcosm. Based on the same musical material, the composer manipulates other parameters, he creates strongly contrasting results. Like most eminent creators of the Renaissance, Panufnik gives great attention to number, measure and proportion. And although, from the perspective of twenty-first century listeners, his ideas are not novel, original or fresh, today one can listen to this cycle with satisfaction. Reflections was written over several days during an extraordinary time for the composer, during the birth of his daughter Roxanna. On the other hand Pentasonata, a mature work, is testament to the dedication of the composer to number and proportion: it consists of five parts, based on a pentatonic scale, while individual sections are in rigorous quintuple metre.
These works of Andrzej Panufnik are supplemented here with two compositions: Hommage à Chopin and Modlitwa. In their original versions, these are songs with piano (strictly speaking, Hommage à Chopin was conceived as a vocalise); Roxanna arranged them and the results are impressive.
On this album, Andrzej Panufnik’s piano music is juxtaposed with two compositions by Roxanna. These are Second Home and Glo. The title of the first piece is a reference to Poland and takes the form of a series of variations on a folk melody. The second is a musical epitaph for a family friend. It is interesting the Roxanna’s pieces have been woven between her father’s and blend brilliantly. There is no doubt that the design of both is quite similar.
The performer of all of the compositions on this disc is Clare Hammond. She is well known to Polish audiences: perhaps some of you have heard how wonderfully she performed Andrzej Panufnik’s Piano Concerto. Her interpretations presented on this album are outstanding. Although much attention is given to detail and clarity of sound, her renditions are exuberant, expressive and emotional, with great passion. Listen to this perfection! In technical terms it is flawless and sounds simply like a genuine virtuoso. Under the fingers of Clare Hammond, Roxanna Panufnik’s Second Home sounds like a veritable masterpiece.
The album is defined in detail and could be both one of the most interesting items in the Panufniks’ discography, and one of the most important fruit of last year’s birthday celebrations of Sir Andrzej.'
Łykasz Kaczmarek