Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, Completorium

Ministerstwo Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego

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Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki

Completorium

for Mixed Choir and Instrumental Ensemble

Publisher: PWM/Print on demand

Countries of delivery:

Cat. no. 7778

Gorczyckis Completorium should be categorised as belonging to vocal and instrumental concert forms. The composer operates here consummately in both polyphonic and homophonic textures. He makes use of a wide-ranging vocal apparatus. Through solo displays for each voice, duets in all possible combinations, frequent use of trios, and finally through full polyphony in the choir he reaches to a great variety of sounds. Also parlando for the whole vocal ensemble creates high tension. The violin, which performs with the vocal parts, shows a lot of melodic independence. The instrumental properties of the two clarinos are used in the first and last movements of the work (clarino solo also in the psalm, Ecce nunc) to emphasize the massiveness of the sound. Melody in the Completorium (except for the hymn) shows no relationship with the chorale, on the contrary, at the beginning of the work we feel the atmosphere of religious folk songs. The solo voices, except for a few stereotypical progressions, reveal strong invention. Likewise, the composer does not avoid chromaticism, but it is used carefully. Melismas are richly developed, and verbal accentuation correct - Gorczycki was careful about declamation of text, therefore repetition is economical and justified. Gorczyckis Completorium is one of the finest Polish works in this form. The piece shows characteristics of the techniques which were shortly to shine in the great oratorios of G.F. Händel. [Jan Węcowski]

The lyrics are based on a liturgical text