Panufnik

Andrzej Panufnik (1914–1991) was a Polish composer who settled in Britain after seeking political asylum in 1954. He was born in Warsaw and studied at the Warsaw Conservatory, producing works rooted in Polish musical traditions and enriched by contemporary techniques.

In Britain he gained international recognition for a broad output including symphonies, concertos, chamber music and choral works. His best-known large-scale works are the Polish Requiem (composed 1963–69) and Sinfonia Sacra for strings and choir (composed 1963–68).

The Polish Requiem is a five-movement setting that memorializes Polish victims of war and oppression; Sinfonia Sacra combines lyrical invention with spiritual depth.

Panufnik's music is characterized by melodic lyricism, clarity of form, and a synthesis of Polish tradition with modern idioms, often prioritizing spiritual or humanistic concerns over formal experimentation.

He remained in Britain for the rest of his life, continuing to compose until his death in 1991. His works remain widely performed and recorded, and he is regarded as one of the leading Polish composers of the postwar era.