Polish Composers

The land of the mazurka and polonaise, Poland has built a proud musical heritage from its turbulent history. At its spiritual core is Frédéric Chopin, the Romantic master of grand and pensive piano works including the Polonaise in F-sharp minor. The Polish spirit also extends to the Renaissance and Baroque choral works of Leopolita and Zieleński, and to such 19th-century composer-virtuosos as Paderewski and Wieniawski. During the Soviet era, Poland gave rise to distinctive voices such as Penderecki, Lutosławski, and Górecki, the latter known for his soaring Symphony No. 3 “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs,” which unexpectedly stormed the 1990s pop album charts.