This is a terrific release that doubtless will receive little attention (obscure composers and artists on a small label), and more's the pity. All three concertos were composed in Poland in the late 1940s/early '50s and represent the defter side of Socialist Realism. Combining folk-influenced melody within a basic neoclassical aesthetic (the Krenz Concertino starts off with a full-blown, classical period-style orchestral tutti), and sparklingly played by Adam Wodnicki, this is just plain good music that would grace any concert program.

Perhaps the most interesting work here is Serocki's Romantic Concerto--the term "Romantic" applies more to the emphasis on virtuosity than any overt reference to 19th-century idioms. In fact, the piece sounds remarkably like a cross between Prokofiev and Ravel, and a highly successful one too. If you like either of those composers (and who doesn't, particularly their piano concertos?), then you're really going to enjoy not just the Serocki, but the Baird and Krenz works as well. Excellent orchestral accompaniments and vivid engineering make this a novelty that serious collectors should investigate without delay.

--David Hurwitz