Since the 1960s the Polish accordion concerto has enjoyed increasing popularity and in recent years no one has inspired more composers to write for the instrument than Klaudiusz Baran. The three most important Polish concertos are showcased in this album. Marcin Błażewicz’s concerto possesses a fascinating wealth of colours with spectacular passages and melodic arabesques cast in a richly communicative language. Mikołaj Majkusiak’s youthful Concerto Classico is a virtuosic synthesis of old and contemporary forms, while in 1973 Bronisław Przybylski wrote a swashbuckling concerto full of the folkloric influence of Polish dances.

Klaudiusz Baran is Poland’s leading accordionist and has given over 50 premieres of various solo, chamber and orchestral pieces, most of which were dedicated to or inspired by him. He is the first accordionist to receive the Fryderyk Award for his recording of Piazzolla’s music in 2003.

Baran’s main focus is Argentine tango, in particular Astor Piazzolla’s nuevo tango. He was also the first accordionist to have performed solo with the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra and other leading Polish orchestras, and he has performed with Ivan Monighetti, Roby Lakatos, Julius Berger and Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, among others.