The piece was commissioned in 1980 by Andrzej Chłopecki, head of the Polish Radio Music Station, as part of the Composers Forum, a radio series featuring contemporary Polish composers, during a period when Górecki was exploring pure instrumental music after dedicating over a decade to vocal and choral works.
The premiere performance of the concerto took place in Katowice on March 2, 1980, with Chojnacka on the harpsichord and the Polish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra with conductor Stanisław Wisłocki accompanying her.
The subtlety shifting rhythms add to the concerto's intensity, and within 9 minutes Górecki creates a powerful explosion in his musical output.
The harpsichord's vigorous timbre is complemented by the chordal texture of the strings, and Górecki's use of dissonance adds color to the subtle changes in repetitive rhythmic structures.
[2] The Harpsichord Concerto is unique among Górecki's works, as it stands out from his other compositions with its driving motor rhythms and vigorously dynamic playing from the soloist.
Following the concerto is Blessed Raspberry Songs, a piece inspired by Norwid (1980), and Miserere (1981), a grand composition for a large mixed choir a cappella.