Mikołaj Zieleński: Offertoria et Communiones Totius Anni Wrocław Baroque Ensemble & Andrzej Kosendiak

• Mikołaj Zieleński (1560 - 1620): Iustus ut palma florebit:
• 1 Zieleński: Iustus ut palma florebit 02:31
• Ego sum pastor bonus:
• 2 Zieleński: Ego sum pastor bonus 02:19
• Fantasia a tre:
• 3 Zieleński: Fantasia a tre 02:42
• Mirabilis Deus:
• 4 Zieleński: Mirabilis Deus 02:13
• Feci iudicium:
• 5 Zieleński: Feci iudicium 01:49
• In virtute tua, Domine:
• 6 Zieleński: In virtute tua, Domine 03:04
• Qui mihi ministrat:
• 7 Zieleński: Qui mihi ministrat 03:55
• Ortus de Polonia Stanislaus:
• 8 Zieleński: Ortus de Polonia Stanislaus 02:13
• Fantasia a tre:
• 9 Zieleński: Fantasia a tre 02:31
• Per merita sancti Adalberti:
• 10 Zieleński: Per merita sancti Adalberti 02:08
• Exiit sermo inter fratres:
• 11 Zieleński: Exiit sermo inter fratres 03:23
• Filiae regum:
• 12 Zieleński: Filiae regum 02:35
• Fantasia a due:
• 13 Zieleński: Fantasia a due 03:53
• Tu puer, propheta:
• 14 Zieleński: Tu puer, propheta 02:58
• Iustorum animae:
• 15 Zieleński: Iustorum animae 02:45
• Total Runtime 40:59

Info for Mikołaj Zieleński: Offertoria et Communiones Totius Anni

Mikolaj Zielenski's collection of offertories and communions, comprising 110 compositions, is probably the most important early Baroque Polish musical print. Firstly, it is extremely extensive - in the case of Polish musical heritage from the seventeenth century, it is unheard of that so many works by one composer have survived to this day. Secondly, in my opinion, it is the most significant collection of works by a Polish composer from the early Baroque period in terms of artistic value. This work deserves to be widely known and performed. That is why we continue the recording work, the result of which is another album with the repertoire from this collection. Offertoria et Communiones totius anni are musical settings of offertories and communions for the entire liturgical year. Nearly all of the pieces are accompanied by information about their intended use for a given holiday or occasion (a register in the form of a 12-month calendar with additional indications has also been added).

The previous album was based on the history of salvation, this time the key to selecting works for the album was their intended use for holidays or commemorations of patrons or saints associated with Wroclaw, Lower Silesia, but also with Poland. The album therefore contains pieces dedicated to the saints: Stanislaus and Adalbert - the patron saints of Poland; John the Baptist - the patron saint of the Wroclaw cathedral; John the Apostle and Evangelist - the patron saint of the former chapel of the Wroclaw town hall; Jadwiga of Silesia - the wife of Henry I the Bearded, Duke of Wroclaw (together they founded the monastery of the Cistercian Sisters in Trzebnica); as well as Dorothy and Wenceslaus - together with the above mentioned Stanislaus, they were the patron saints of the three communities that made up Wroclaw: Polish, German and Czech.

It should be emphasised that the National Forum of Music, where the recording was made, is located near the Gothic church dedicated to these three saints. It was founded in the second half of the 14th century to commemorate the agreement on rights to Silesia concluded between the Polish King Casimir the Great and Charles IV of Luxembourg, ruler of Bohemia, while its patron saints symbolized Bohemia (St Wenceslaus), Poland (St Stanislaus) and German settlers (St Dorothy). The works on the album are complemented by three instrumental fantasies, which have survived to this day in an incomplete form (the top voice part has not survived). In the recording we used the reconstruction of the missing part prepared by Prof Marcin Szelest.

During the recording sessions, we used instruments typical of the first half of the seventeenth century, and we also applied ornaments, diminutions, and improvisations that were as consistent as possible with the composer's intentions and the performance practice of that era. In this way, we tried to achieve a sound as close as possible to Zielenski's times. It should be emphasised that the fact mentioned by Dr Maciej Jochymczyk is that it was in the Wroclaw City Library (Stadtbibliothek Breslau) that the only complete print of offertories and communions, coming from the church of St Bernardine, was once kept, which, combined with the entire context resulting from the selection of works, means that this album can be considered to have a 'Wroclaw' character. - Andrzej Kosendiak (transl. Anna Marks)

Wrocław Baroque Ensemble
Andrzej Kosendiak, direction

Andrzej Kosendiak
Director of the National Forum of Music, artist, conductor and pedagogue, Andrzej Kosendiak has earned an enviable reputation as one of the most active and committed musicians and organizers of music life in Poland. He graduated from the Department of Composition, Conducting and Music Theory of Wrocław Music Academy. In 2013 he obtained the academic degree of doctor habilitatus. For many years he taught at his Alma Mater, where in 2001-2009 he was head of the Cross-Department Early Music Studies. Since 2014 he has been Professor at the S. Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk. In 2005 he became Director of the Wrocław Philharmonic and the International Festival Wratislavia Cantans.

He soon reformulated the profile of both organizations and successfully led them to their merger in 2014 into one performing arts organization - the National Forum of Music. Upon his initiative, construction works of the new venue of the National Forum of Music were commenced, and he is now the coordinator of this state-of-the-art concert hall development. Andrzej Kosendiak’s efforts led to the establishment of Society of Polish Philharmonics, of which he is now chair for the second term of office.

Of the National Forum of Music artistic ensembles, many were founded upon Andrzej Kosendiak’s initiative: NFM Choir, Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, NFM Boys’ Choir, and he also contributed to the founding of Polish National Youth Choir. Andrzej Kosendiak founded the festivals Forum Musicum and Leo Festival. Thanks to his efforts, in 2013 the Wrocław Philharmonic organized the 27th Congress of the International Society for the Performing Arts, attended by around 400 delegates and guests from all over the world. He is one of the authors of academies of early music held annually in Wrocław, combining concerts with master classes (Bach Academy in 2014 and Handel Academy in 2015). Andrzej Kosendiak has launched several educational projects: Singing Wrocław, Singing Poland, and Mummy, Daddy Sing to Me. He is one of the authors of Muzyka w Mieście monthly, issued since 2012 by the National Forum of Music.

Andrzej Kosendiak put forward the idea of recording the complete works of Witold Lutosławski – in the Opera Omnia series six albums have been released so far. Another initiative is 1000 Years of Music in Wrocław, presenting the musical heritage of our city. Thanks to his commitment, the phonographic project of Paul McCreesh and the NFM Choir is now under way, recording the greatest oratorios in music history. The discs released so far have won prestigious awards: BBC Music Magazine Award (twice), Diapason d’Or de l’Année and Gramophone Editor’s Choice.

Early music is of particular interest to Andrzej Kosendiak: in 1985 he founded Collegio di Musica Sacra and has directed the ensemble ever since. They have given concerts in many European countries, as well as the US (including collaboration with Chapel Hill University NC), appearing at the most prestigious festivals and concert venues across Poland. His recording catalogue includes rediscovered music from Wrocław University Library – Musica da chiesa (DUX), and from Strasbourg Library - F. X Richter: 'Missa Pastorale', Dixit, Magnificat (CYPRES) as well as A. M. Bononcini’s Stabat Mater (DUX). 2012 and 2014 saw the release of two discs with works by G. G. Gorczycki (CD Accord) directed by Andrej Kosendiak. The first disc was awarded Wrocław Music Prize and nominated for Fryderyk Award. As a conductor he gives regular concerts with the NFM Symphony Orchestra and Choir, as well as Wrocław Baroque Orchestra and philharmonic ensembles across Poland. Over the recent years he has conducted Haydn’s The Creation, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Mass in C minor and Requiem, Bach’s Mass in B flat minor and both Passions (initiating years ago a tradition of performing these works in Wrocław during the Holy Week), Fauré’s Requiem, and Britten’s Saint Nicolas.

Booklet for Mikołaj Zieleński: Offertoria et Communiones Totius Anni