Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, one of the most outstanding Old Polish composers, was active in the first half of the 18th century. A comprehensively educated clergyman and composer, he served as bandmaster at the Wawel Cathedral from 1698 until his death. The richness of the liturgies celebrated in this church was a constant inspiration for the creation of new works, intended primarily for his vocal and instrumental ensemble. One of Gorczycki’s greatest achievements is the solemn Completorium, in which the virtuosity of the concertante style of the psalms contrasts with homophonic antiphons, and the entire work perfectly reflects the meaning of the text through sophisticated music.
„Pekiel, a great organist and a great composer” – wrote Adam Jarzębski in his 1643 guide entitled Gościniec abo Short description of Warsaw. Bartłomiej Pękiel, who took over as bandmaster at Wawel forty years before Gorczycki, became famous mainly as a creator of religious music – varied in both content and form. He skillfully used the musical means of the style developed by old masters and eagerly reached for the latest achievements of the musical craft of that time. An absolute gem in terms of the use of modern concertante technique is his polychoral Missa concertata La Lombardesca. The contrasting solo, ensemble, choral, and instrumental fragments delight with their richness of invention while maintaining the coherence of melodic motifs throughout the entire cycle.
PROGRAM
Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki – Completorium
Cum invocarem
In te Domine speravi
Qui habitat
Ecce nunc benedicite
Te lucis ante terminum
In manus tuas
Nunc dimittis
Bartłomiej Pękiel – Missa concertata „La Lombardesca”
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
PERFORMERS
MARTA BOBERSKA SOPRANO
IWONA LUBOWICZ SOPRANO
DANIEL OKTAWIAN PIOTROWSKI COUNTERTENOR
BARTOSZ GORZKOWSKI TENOR
DAWID BIWO BASS
THE CHAMBER CHOIR OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA
THE PERIOD INSTRUMENTS ENSEMBLE OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA CAPELLA REGIA POLONA
RENATA SZCZYPIOR CHOIR MASTER
KRZYSZTOF GARSTKA POSITIVE ORGAN, CONDUCTOR
