Stanislaw Skrowaczewski's Concerto for English Horn and Orchestra is the first concerto of major proportions written for this instrument. It was first performed by Thomas Stacy, whose beautiful playing while a member of the Minnesota Orchestra no doubt inspired the creation of the work. The concerto was performed in New York's Carnegie Hall in April of 1970 by the Minnesota Orchestra, the composer conducting, with Mr. Stacy as soloist.
Harold Schonberg of the New York Times enjoyed the composer's full exploitation of the "exotic sounds of the English horn". "Mr. Skrowaczewski had the hard-working virtuoso play double notes or had him blowing directly into exposed piano strings..." Alfred Frankenstein, writing in the August, 1972 issue of High Fidelity Magazine finds the concerto "a masterwork. Skrowaczewski uses no other reeds in the orchestra, but he loves the big ensemble and what he does with brass and percussion against strings and English horn must be heard to be believed. This is really a concerto for orchestra with special emphasis on the English horn...."
The work has also been performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Louis Rosenblatt as soloist. Mr. Stacy, now the English horn player of the New York Philharmonic, will perform it with the orchestra during the current season. The concerto has been published by G. Schirmer, Inc. and Mr. Stacy's performance with the Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by the composer is available recorded on Desto DC 7126.