IN FESTO PURIFICATIONIS – VASA MASS FOR THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

Since the early days, music has been an integral part of the Holy Mass – the most important liturgy of the Western Church. Initially, it appeared in the form of chorale songs, then it took the shape of elaborate polyphonic arrangements and, finally, complex vocal and instrumental compositions. The heyday of Polish sacred music took place during the reign of the kings of the Vasa dynasty, which must have been particularly visible during important church ceremonies. One of these was undoubtedly the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. In the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite introduced by the Council of Trent in 1570, the feast was known as Festo purificationis, and in the Polish tradition, it is still commonly known as Candlemas. The program of the concert consists of works by leading composers who shaped the musical repertoire of the Republic of Poland in the 17th century. Arranged in an order that reflects the musical sphere of the solemn liturgy, they give an idea of the refinement of the mass crowning the joyful Christmas season.

The ordinary was taken from Missa Sancta Anna by Marcin Mielczewski, a 17th-century composer who was famous both in Poland and throughout Europe. The mass, based on the melody of the then-popular song O Maryja cna dziewica, is scored for a six-voice choir, coro capella of the same size, and an instrumental ensemble. Reconstructing the musical order of the entire service also requires the selection of adequate proper, i.e. pieces arranged to texts appropriate for a given holiday. The processional entrance by candlelight will be accompanied by the eight-voice Lumen ad revelationem by Giovanni Francesca Aneria, derived from a chorale melody, and Pacelli’s ten-voice Ave Maria will act as the introit. Both Italians served as maestro di capella at the courts of Polish rulers and introduced the latest Italian compositional techniques to Polish musical practice. The first Polish composer to implement stile moderno in his work was Mikołaj Zieleński. The Offertory and the Communion come from his famous collection published in Venice in 1611. We will also hear instrumental compositions by Polish bandmasters – Franciszek Lilius and Adam Jarzębski, as well as dignified traditional chorale fragments.

PROGRAM

PROCESSION OF CANDLES
Giovanni Francesco Anerio (1569-1630) – Lumen ad revelationem (a 8)

INTROIT
Asprilio Pacelli (1570-1623) – Ave Maria (a 10)

INTONATION
Franciszek Lilius (dec. 1657) – Toccata

KYRIE AND GLORIA
Marcin Mielczewski (dec. 1651) – Missa Sancta Anna (a 12)

GRADUAL
Chorale – Suscepimus Deus

CREDO
Marcin Mielczewski (dec. 1651) – Missa Sancta Anna (a 12)

OFFERTORY
Mikołaj Zieleński – Felix namque es (a 8)

PREFACE
Chorale – Vere dignum et iustum est

SANCTUS
Marcin Mielczewski (zm. 1651) – Missa Sancta Anna (a 12)

ELEVATION
Adam Jarzębski (zm. 1648/49) – Concerto a 2

AGNUS DEI
Marcin Mielczewski (zm. 1651) – Missa Sancta Anna (a 12)

COMMUNION
Mikołaj Zieleński – Responsum accepit (a voce sola)

AFTER COMMUNION
Tarquinio Merula (1590/95-1665) – Nigra sum (a voce sola con violino)

Chorale – Ite missa est

Franciszek Lilius (dec. 1657) – Jubilate Deo omnis terra (a 11)

PERFORMERS

JULITA MIROSŁAWSKA SOPRANO
DOROTA LACHOWICZ MEZZOSOPRANO
ŁUKASZ KÓZKA TENOR
MACIEJ GOCMAN TENOR
MIKOŁAJ ZGÓDKA TENOR
PIOTR CHWEDOROWICZ BASS

THE CHORUS OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA

THE PERIOD INSTRUMENTS ENSEMBLE OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA CAPELLA REGIA POLONA

JAKUB SZAFRAŃSKI CHORUS MASTER

JAKUB BURZYŃSKI CONDUCTOR

Duration: approx. 1 h

The seats in the auditorium are not numbered.