From the song cycle Die schöne Müllerin, Op. 25, D. 795 (“The Fair Maid of the Mill"), the eighteenth lied titled Trockne Blumen (“Withered Flowers”) served as inspiration for Schubert to compose Introduction and Variations, D. 802 for flute and piano. This piece was written in 1824 for Ferdinand Bogner, a flute professor at the Vienna Conservatory and one of Schubert’s friends. Eventually, Bogner became head of the Gesellschaft der Österreichischen Musikfreunde (Austrian Philharmonic Society) and helped organize the premiere of several of Schubert’s works. Deeply expressive and lyrical, the version for flute and string quintet in this recording was arranged by Rainer Schottstädt and is a technical tour de force for every flutist.

Carl Reinecke is famous for his beautiful melodies and amazing fondness of classical forms, to the point that his oeuvre comprises nearly all such forms that were practiced in his time. Krzysztof Penderecki, on the other hand, was an icon of the avant-garde and definitely preferred avoiding convention, rather than following the mainstream. The two had never met, which would have been impossible, as Carl Reinecke died 23 years before Krzysztof Penderecki was born.

The renowned Polish flautist Krzysztof Maciej Kaczka was born in Torun. He is thought of as one of the most creative and versatile musicians of his generation. He learnt to play the flute in early childhood, originally with Cecilia Knopp in Chorzow and later with Grzegorz Cimoszko and Elzbieta Dastych-Szwarc in Warsaw.