Symphony No. 3, Sinfonia Sacra
Andrzej Panufnik
Work background
Researched classical background
Panufnik composed Sinfonia Sacra for the approaching millennium of Polish statehood and Christianity. Three short Visions precede a larger Hymn, whose material grows from the medieval Polish chant Bogurodzica. Widely separated trumpets are important at the opening. The work's architectural plan and its historically charged melody give the two-part sequence a clear organizing principle.
Inspiration and creative background
The millennium of Poland's statehood and Christian tradition, expressed through the Bogurodzica hymn.
Polish Music Information Centre: Sinfonia Sacra
Polish millennium commission and Bogurodzica hymn | Reviewed 2026-10-19
A listening guide
Follow the distant trumpet calls and the gradual emergence of the hymn.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Orchestra with spatially separated trumpets
Composition: 1963
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Also known as: Sinfonia Sacra
Boosey & Hawkes: Panufnik Sinfonia Sacra
Composer programme, 1963 work and formal design | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Polish Music Information Centre: Sinfonia Sacra
Polish millennium commission and Bogurodzica hymn | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Boosey & Hawkes: Panufnik Sinfonia Sacra
Composer programme, 1963 work and formal design | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Polish Music Information Centre: Sinfonia Sacra
Polish millennium commission and Bogurodzica hymn | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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