From No 1 to No-one

In communist Poland decadent Western art was denounced. Music had to be of political significance, created according to the principles of Socialist Realism. Panufnik was forced to become part of the propaganda machine, taking posts he didn't want and promoting a creed he despised. He was finally pushed a step too far and decided to defect to England. After a difficult start, work started to pick up with offers of conducting work and commissions slowly coming his way. Donald Macleod introduces music from this tumultuous period including a piece to mark the 100th anniversary of Chopin's death, an overture with a defiant but hidden anti-Soviet meaning, a symphony dedicated to the victims of the Second World War and part of a concerto prompted by the generous donation from a patron of the arts who wanted to help him start composing again.