Programs

  Ars Antiqua

Paris in the thirteenth century

  MAIESTAS DEI - medieval polyphony in the work of Petr Wilhelmi de Grudencz

The focal point of the program is the work of Petr Wilhelmi de Grudenz. If we employ a hyperbole, he might be characterised as “a man whose feet are still in the Middle Ages but whose head is already in Renaissance.” This outstanding author of Polish origin was active in the first half of the 15th century at the court of Friedrich III and also allegedly dwelled in Bohemia (perhaps in the circle of Charles University) for it is the Bohemian records that maintain his work. In the concert there will be performed polyphonic songs demanding interpretation bravado but at the same time very attractive for audience and medieval motets where each of voices sings its own different text.

  CODEX FRANUS - The repertory of Czech Utraquists according to a significant source from the beginning of the 16th century.

Codex Franus is a noted work of Bohemian musical tradition. Its importance is not determined only by its dimensions (66 x 43 cm, 367 folios, weight of several dozens kilos) but mainly by its contents. A well-off dresser and a burgher of Hradec Kralové Jan Franus had it made at his own expense on the 8th of November 1505. The program represents a selection of the very best of this collection and attests its extraordinary variety of the then sacred music. In the concert Gregorian chant will also be performed, homophonic and polyphonic sacred songs and more-texts music. Thanks to its diversity the program enjoys enormous popularity with listeners

  "ACH, HOMO FRAGILIS" - Sacred lyrical settings in late- medieval Bohemia

In the very fall of the Middle Ages the interest in topics of fragility and frailty of human existence grew quite wide-spread. In that time Bohemia bred poetic and songs-resembling compositions called lais. They could be of use both in the liturgy and during the feasts of social character. Their text is extraordinarily expressive with numerous naturalistic apocalyptical visions. In some cases we can even speak of a kind of musical-literary “dance macabre”. The concert conclusion expresses hope for human possibility of spiritual growths as the human being shall not stand alone and destitute with their imperfectness

  G. DE MACHAUT: MESSE DE NOSTRE DAME

Guillaume de Machaut is a foremost representative of polyphonic style called Ars nova. Within the context of Czech history it is quite interesting to know that he shortly served as a secretary at King John of Luxembourg court. The most known work of Machaut’s appears to be a famous polyphonic Messe de Nostre Dame. Its mysticism will transfer the listeners to the nave of the Reims Cathedral for which his Marian mass was composed. The program is a reconstruction of a holly service including original Gregorian chant according to French sources.

  ROSA MYSTICA - Marian devotion in the medieval Bohemia

This popularity is evoked with the repertoire of Carolingian times from the 9th to the 11th century and with compositions from the Bohemian cultural background of the Late Middle-Ages

  PASSIO DOMINI

Choral Passion thematically complemented with Gregorian responsories and antiphons, which introduces and intensifies the musical experience of memorable last moments of Jesus Christ. J.S. Bach approaches this Biblical history in a similar way.

  BOHEMORUM SANCTI - Bohemian Saints in Heavenly Jerusalem

Singing celebrating the most important saints of medieval Bohemia (Saint Adalbert, Saint Ludmila, Saint Procopius, Saint Wenceslas) benefits from rich Bohemian plainchant tradition

  LITURGICAL YEAR THROUGH GREGORIAN CHANT

The program is based on 55-part series of the same name broadcast between 1995-1996 and 1999-2000 by the Czech Radio 3 – Vltava, which met with favourable reviews of the audience. It offers an insight into the musical diversity and richness of Gregorian Chant singing throughout individual liturgical periods

  ANTICA E MODERNA

This project came into being through a synergy of two musical worlds, which, no matter how chronologically distant, have a lot in common. So as to wit, they share their message – singing at Christian mass. The first part of the concert is devoted to Gregorian chant and early polyphony. The second part introduces Suita litutgica for the unison and the organ by Petr Eben, which was composed as a selection of several parts of author’s “Liturgical Songs” after complementation with concertante intermezzos

Scoring

SGP + guest organist

  DIALOGUE OF THE HUMAN VOICE AND STRINGS

The Schola Gregoriana Pragensis and the outstanding Czech cellist Jiri Barta. A dialogue of ancient and contemporary music or on the naturalness of interconnection of Gregorian chant and early polyphony with the solo cello repertoire and improvisations.

  NATIVITAS - DOMINI (Chrsitamas programe)

Reconstruction of a part of Easter liturgy according to original sources conveys the atmosphere of Prague under the reign of Emperor Charles IV. Besides other music, the listeners will hear vocally demanding and very impressive polyphonic readings some of which were discovered only a few years ago.

  BEHOLD, THE LORD WILL COME (christmas program)

The program presents three historical periods of Advent and Christmas singing: the earliest corpus of Gregorian chant from the 1st millennium, the repertoire of Prague’s Cathedral from the 14th century and singing of the late Middle-Ages from Bohemian records of the 15th century.

  GREGORIAN CHANT SINCE THE BEGINNINGS TILL THE EARLY POLYPHONY

The beginnings of Gregorian chant are dated back as early as to the first centuries after Christ. In its history it has undergone many interesting development stages and simultaneously it has become a platform for the early polyphony. The program presents a representative cross-section of the most attractive musical material from plain psalm recitation up to richly decorated compositions and polyphonic compositions. At the promoters’ request the concert may be supplemented by an explanatory commentary.

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		Ars Antiqua [70.00 kB]
	Paris in the thirteenth century
		Tribute to Petr Eben [58.00 kB]
		Dialogue of the human voice and strings [59.00 kB]
		Concert programs [51.00 kB]
		The list of more important activities [59.00 kB]