Panufnik: Symphonic Works, Vol. 6

PANUFNIK Symphony No. 9, “Sinfonia di Speranza.” Concertino for Timpani, Percussion, and Strings 1 • ?ukasz Borowicz, cond; Konzerthausorchester, Berlin; 1 Michael Oberaigner (timpani); 1 Christian Löffler (perc) • CPO 7776852 (58:38) The two works on this disc came late in Andrzej Panufnik’s career. The Concertino was written as a percussion test piece for an LSO competition in 1979–80, while the Royal Philharmonic Society commissioned the Ninth Symphony for their 175th anniversary season in 1986–87. The composer wrote that he was somewhat intimidated when he discovered that the same society had commissioned a Ninth Symphony from Beethoven! In any case, Panufnik accepted the challenge and wrote a substantial symphonic work. Unlike Beethoven, he lived to complete a 10th Symphony as well. The Concertino is in five fairly short, contrasting movements, and each has a specific character of its own. The opening “Entrata” begins with a theme on tubular bells, cleve