The annual festival in tribute to the famous Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski has opened at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw.

Held under the motto ‘From Ravel to Mykietyn’, the festival features works by 17 major 20th-century composers, including William Walton, Olivier Messiaen, Samuel Barber, John Adams and Poland’s Tadeusz Baird and Paweł Mykietyn (composer-in-residence of the National Philharmonic).

Naturally, the programme of the seven-day event includes also a selection of pieces by its patron (Double Concerto for Oboe, Harp and Orchestra, Chain II for violin and the string quartets).

The Lutosławski Forum was launched in 1994. The programme of the first festival was approved by the composer but he died shortly before the start of the event.

Born in 1913, Witold Lutosławski was one of the most prominent 20th-century composers. He studied piano and composition with Jerzy Lefeld and Witold Maliszewski at the Warsaw Conservatory. His honours included the Koussevitzky Award , the Herder Award, the Ravel Award, the Sibelius Award), the 'Solidarity' Award, the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society in London and the Polar Music Prize.

The composer also received the Order of the White Eagle, the highest Polish state distinction.

Lutosławski held honorary doctorate degrees from Warsaw University, the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Lancaster University, Glasgow University, Durham University, Queen's University, Belfast, Cleveland Institute of Music and McGill University in Montreal. (mk)