Originally written in 1954 for clarinet and piano, Lutoslawski subsequently made two orchestral versions. One closely adheres to the original with the clarinet as soloist; the other, made in 1959 for a larger group, breaks up the solo line and shares it between several instruments. All five movements are based on Polish folk dance rhythms if not actual folk tunes. Lutoslawski has not identified them but they follow the general dictum that ‘the tempo of Polish folksongs changes almost from bar to bar’. This version has been arranged for clarinet quartet by one of the Flanders Clarinet Quartet members, Karel Plessers. The solo part is played entirely by the first clarinet.

Instrumentation:

• 3 B-Flat Clarinets
• Bass Clarinet