Poland, 15th century

Musique à la Chapelle des Jagellons
Ensemble Ars Nova de Varsovie - Jacek Urbaniak
Accord 201032

Contents:

    Nicolaus de Radom (fl.c.1420)
  1. Alleluia
  2. Magnificat
  3. Hystorigraphi Aciem (fragment)
  4. Gloria
  5. Credo
  6. Ballada (instrumental)

    7. Manuscript Jean de Jasienna, XVe siècle
  7. Miretur Omnis Nacio
  8. Deus in Adiutorium
  9. Regina Celi Letare
  10. Altitonanti Cantica
  11. Celebris Dies Colitur
  12. Da Domine Colere
  13. Generari Voluit
  14. Ave Virgo Sanctissima
  15. Fanfara

    16. Anonymous Polish 15th century
  16. Chwala Tobie Gospodzinie
  17. Angelus Ad Virginem Missus
  18. Badz Wiesiola Panno Czysta
  19. Salve Sancta Parens
  20. Breve Regnum

Performers: Mariusz Gebel (countertenor), Piotr Kusiewicz (tenor), Cezary Szyfman (baritone), Marcin Zalewski (lute), Agata Sapieha (vielle, rebec), Tadeusz Czechak (lute, psaltery, mandolin, crumhorn, percussion), Michal Straszewski (vielle, cornet), Leslaw Szyszko (recorders, crumhorns, shawm), Czeslaw Palkowski (recorder), Robert Krajewski (trombone), Piotr Wawreniuk (trombone), Jacek Urbaniak (recorder, mandolin, bombard, harp)

Playing time: 53'

Recording date: July 1989

The early 15th century gives the first surviving musical sources from Poland. Nicolaus de Radom was a royal musician in Cracow, and easily the most important composer in Poland at the time, showing influences of both Ciconia & Dufay in his music. Track #6, his one secular work among nine preserved compositions, survives without a text.

The Manuscript Jean de Jasienna (named after its owner) dates from the same period, and is apparently a collection of student exercizes done at Cracow University. As such, it is not very sophisticated, but gives an idea of the style of the period. The final section of this recording illustrates some of the earliest surviving polyphonic songs in the Polish language, plus some student songs in Latin.

Other recordings devoted to early Polish music by this & related ensembles:

Polish Passion Songs
Collegium Vocale Bydgoszcz / Ars Nova - Jacek Urbaniak
Dux 0469
Mikolaj of Radom: Complete Music
Ars Nova - Jacek Urbaniak
Dux 0229
Bogurodzica
Polish Medieval Music
Ars Nova - Jacek Urbaniak
Dux 0316
Bal Renesonsowy
Orkiestra Ziotego Wieku - Jacek Urbaniak
Dux 0193
Melodies for the Polish Psalter - Ars Nova Psalms
Il Canto - Jacek Urbaniak
Dux 0244
Vivat Rzeczpospolita!
Schola Gregoriana Silesiensis, et al.
Dux 1549

Some related recordings:

Msze Staropolskie
Polish Early Masses
Il Canto
CD Accord 018
Musica Rediviva
Wroclawian Music Prints of the 16th and 17th Centuries
Ars Cantus - Tomasz Dobranzki
CD Accord 125
Polish Early Music
Waclaw z Szamotul - Marcin Leopolita
Collegium Vocale
Dux 0284
Musica Figurata
Wroclaw and Silesia in the 14th and 15th centuries
Ars Cantus - Tomasz Dobrzanski
Dux 0478
Filia Praeclara
Music from the 13th and 14th Century Polish Clarisse Convents
Ensemble Peregrina
Divox 70603
Sub Ursae
Complete works of the Polish Renaissance master Waclaw z Szamotul
Marc Lewon / Cracow Singers - Agnieszka Budzinska-Bennett
Raum Klang 3801
Musica Antiqua Polonica
Choral Music from Poland
Polish Radio Choir and Chamber Orchestra - Wroclaw Edmund Kajdasz
Olympia 322
U zródel muzyki polskiej
Muzyka polskiego sredniowiecza
Soloists; Boys' and Men's Chorus of the Pomeranian Philarmonia of Bydgosczcz / Capella Bydgostiensis Pro Musica Antiqua - Stanislaw Galonski
Muza 0294 (LP)
Muzyka wokalna sredniowiecza
Chór Meski Polskiego Radia we Wroclawiu - Stanislaw Krukowski
Muza 0578 (LP)
Musica de compozitori polonezi din secollele XV-XVII
Fistulatores et Tubicinatores Varsoviensis
Electrecord (Romania) 81-05 (LP)
Anthologie de la musique ancienne polonaise
du XVe au XVIIIe siècle
Various performers
Erato ERA 9130-36 [LPx7]

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Todd M. McComb