Henryk Gorecki

It does no disservice to Henryk Gorecki’s other work to call the Polish composer, who died today at 76, one of the 20th century’s great one-hit wonders. He had a productive career and was highly regarded both within Poland and in the tiny microcosm of people everywhere who keep an eye on 20th- and 21st-century composers for orchestra, chamber ensemble and voice. Tim Rutherford-Johnson surveys his career here.