Antonina Styczen; Polish Chamber Phil Orch, Wojciech Rajski - Concerts For Flute And Orchestra Op. 75 And 148 Etc

The CD cover probably doesn't convey the impression of a long-persecuted and even longer forgotten 20th century composer. Yet its intention is not to be provocative; it merely represents reality. Riding is just as much part of Antonina Styczen's life as playing the flute. She is outstanding in both disciplines. The associated recording likewise confounds our expectations. Most people know Mieczyslaw Wajnberg by the name of Weinberg, which was apparently assigned to him by Soviet customs officials when he entered Russia. Many of his works are only gradually becoming known, like the Flute Concerto No.2 or the Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp on this disc. Wajnberg can't easily be pigeonholed. He assimilates numerous influences freely and virtuosically and yet isn't bound to any of the well-known artistic movements of his time. Whether from 1945 or 1987, the mark of a distinctive musical personality is there for all to hear from the very first bars of each piece.Confident and lithesome: Wojciech Rajski and the Polish Chamber Philharmonic.