Kazimierz Serocki (1922-1981)
Born in Toruń, he studied composition with Kazimierz Sikorski and piano with Stanisław Szpinalski at the State Higher School of Music in Łódź. He then went to Paris to continue his studies in composition with Nadia Boulanger and in piano with Lazare Lévy (1947-48). Until 1952 he was active as a pianist. Afterwards he devoted himself exclusively to composition. A member of 'Group '49', founded together with Tadeusz Baird and Jan Krenz, in the 1950s he contributed to the foundations of what was then regarded avantgarde explorations. He wrote a dodecaphonic Suite of Preludes for piano as early as 1952. He was a co-founder of the 'Warsaw Autumn' Festival.
He received the Polish State Award (1952 and 1972), the award of the Minister of Culture and Art (1963), as well as honourable mentions at the unesco International Composers' Rostrum in Paris.
He died in Warsaw.

Selected works: Symphony No. 1 (1952), Warsaw Bricklayer, cantata (1952), Suite of Preludes for piano (1952), Symphony No. 2 (1953), Sinfonietta for two string orchestras (1956), Heart of the Night, cycle of songs for soprano and piano, set to texts by Konstanty I. Gałczyński (1957), second version for soprano and chamber orchestra (1960), Eyes of the Air, cycle of songs with words by Julian Przyboć (1957), Musica concertante for chamber orchestra (1958), Episodes for strings and three percussion groups (1959), Segmenti for chamber ensemble (1961), A piacere for piano (1963), Symphonic Frescoes (1964), Niobe, poem for two reciting voices, mixed choir and orchestra to a text by Konstanty I. Gałczyński (1966), Continuum, sextet for percussion instruments (1965-66), Forte e piano, music for two pianos and orchestra (1967), Poems for soprano and orchestra to texts by Tadeusz Różewicz (1969), Swinging Music for clarinet, trombone, cello (or double-bass) and piano (1970), Dramatic Story for orchestra (1968-70), Phantasmagoria for piano and percussion (1970-71), Fantasia elegiaca for organ and orchestra (1971-72), Impromptu fantasque for orchestra (1973), Concerto alla cadenza per flauto a becco e orchestra (1974), Ad libitum, five pieces for orchestra (1973-77), Arrangements for 1-4 recorders (1976), Pianophonie for piano and orchestra (1976-78).

Phantasmagoria (the word means 'a sequence of illusory images like that seen in a dream') is a duo for piano and percussion. The percussionist has at his disposal 37 percussion instruments. The timbral possibilities of the piano and percussion have been employed by the composer in this piece to the maximum, often in combination with a truly virtuosic handling of texture.
The musical form is created out of mutually intermingling sonoristic patches and the concertante sequences.
Phantasmagoria was composed in 1970-71. It was premiered on 12 January 1973 in Zurich by Georges Martin and Willy A. Wolgemuth.
Duration: ca 14'.
Note from the programme book
of the 1976 'Warsaw Autumn'