"A little known centenary this year is that of the Polish composer Andrzej Panufnik. In August the musical world will celebrate his 100th birthday. Ewa Kupiec, for example, has recorded his almost forgotten Piano Concerto. The young British pianist Clare Hammond has dedicated herself to the solo piano repertoire. On this CD one can also find two pieces by his daughter Roxanna Panufnik, one piece which was composed by both father and daughter, and also arrangements of ensemble works. The "12 Miniature Studies" were written in 1947, during the period when Panufnik was still working in Poland. Later he emigrated to England in response to strong cultural constraints and sanctions, where he lived until his death in 1991. Panufnik stated "in my music I seek to achieve a balance between heart and mind, intellect and emotion". His "Reflections" was written in 1968, shortly after the birth of his daughter. The two-versed prayer "Modlitwa" was composed by Andrzej Panufnik and his daughter together. In particular, "Second Home" and the short piece "Glo" show how Roxanna combines simple melodies and emotional content with well through-through structures. Many of Andrzej Panufnik's works, among them his "Pentasonata", were structured according to geometrical patterns, which are not, however, audible. The colourful diversity and particularly the rich contrasts of this music are expressed very beautifully by Clare Hammond. An effective homage to a composer who is still too little known in this country."
Anja Renczikowski