Andrzej Panufnik

Synopsis

Today's date marks the anniversary of the birth of the Polish composer and conductor Andrzej Panufnik, whose turbulent 20th century life was dramatic—and romantic—enough for an AMC or Showtime mini-series.

Panufinik's biography involves resistance to the Nazis in war-torn Warsaw and struggles with the Communist Party in the post-war years. He was first fêted and then declared a "non-person" by the Party. Add to the mini-series script a daring Swiss escape to Great Britain worthy of a John Le Carré novel, love affairs and marriages with beautiful women, the tragic death of one of his children, frustrating years trying to balance a conducting career in the U.K. with his own composition work, and, despite the admiration and support of some of the biggest names in classical music, the seeming indifference of the general public to his music.

But at this point we need to cue the triumphant mini-series' grand finale soundtrack theme. In the closing decades of Panufnik's life, he finally achieved the opportunity to devote himself solely to composing, won increasing recognition as one of the 20th century's finest composers, and was showered with high-profile commissions by major orchestras in London, Boston, and Chicago.

Panufnik refused to return to Poland until democracy was restored in 1990. Shortly before his death in 1991, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, and posthumously awarded the Polonia Restituta Medal by his native land.

Music Played in Today's Program

Andrzej Panufnik (1914 - 1991) Heroic Overture London Symphony; Jascha Horenstein, cond. Unicorn 2016

On This Day

Births

• 1914 - Polish composer and conductor Andrzej Panufnik, in Warsaw;

• 1919 - Czech-born American composer Vaclav Nelhybel, in Polanska;

• 1945 - English composer and conductor John Rutter, in London;

Deaths

• 1813 - Belgian-born French composer André Grétry, age 72, in Montmorency;

• 1892 - Irish-born American bandmaster and composer Patrick Gilmore, age 62, in St. Louis;

Premieres

• 1909 - Rimsky-Korsakov: opera "The Golden Cockerel," posthumously, in Moscow (Gregorian date: Oct. 7);

• 1962 - Barber: Piano Concerto, with soloist John Browning and the Boston Symphony conducted by Erich Leinsdorf; This performance was the second concert scheduled at the newly-opened "Philharmonic Hall" (now Avery Fisher Hall) at Lincoln Center in New York City;

• 1965 - George Rochberg: "Black Sounds" for winds and percussion, on a "Lincoln Center" television broadcast (as a ballet by Anna Sokolov under the title "The Act");

• 1992 - Tobias Picker: "Bang!" by the New York Philharmonic, Kurt Masur onducting (A New York Philharmonic 150th Anniversary commission);

• 1994 - Zwilich: "American" Concerto for trumpet and orchestra, at the inaugural concert of the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, by the San Diego Symphony, JoAnn Faletta conducting, with soloist Doc Severinson;

Others

• 1947 - German-born composer Hans Eisler is questioned about his former membership in the Communist Party by the House Committee on Un-American activities; Eisler had been a member of the Party in the 1920s, left Germany when Hitler came to power in 1933, and had been working in Hollywood on film scores and as the musical assistant to Charlie Chaplin; He left the U.S. in 1948 and settled in East Germany - where he composed that country's national anthem.