2016-05-27

The premiere of Symphony No. 4 by Paweł Łukaszewski will take place on 3rd June. The composer entitled it ‘Symphony on the Mercy of God’, referring to his earlier works within this genre that were dedicated to God’s Providence, Love and Angels.

This is how Paweł Łukaszewski describes his work:

‘Symphony on the Mercy of God’, i.e. Symphony No. 4, is a continuation of my earlier path connected with composing vocal-instrumental symphonies. Each of them is devoted to a unique and significant issue: the first one - God’s Providence, the second - Love, the third - Angels and the fourth - Devine Mercy.

For a long time I have pondered on this topic, and the commission I received from Białystok Archdiocese contributed to my dedication towards Devine Mercy. So I started looking for texts, I pilgrimaged to places associated with persons engaged in spreading the religious cult. I went to Vilnius, Łagiewniki and Białystok. I studied abundant literature, including journals of Blessed Michał Sopoćko and a diary by Saint Faustina. I also found the act of entrustment of the world proclaimed by Saint John Paul II in Łagiewniki. I was especially influenced by the growing cult of the image of Jesus Christ and entrustment with the words “Jesus, I trust in you”. In my quest, I also studied the history of all paintings modelled by the vision of Sister Faustina.

The selection of texts is connected with some kind of order of emerging figures and events: and so Saint Peter and his call: “Praised to be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”; next the words of Sister Faustina when she had a vision and saw Lord Jesus: “(...) and in his garment there shone two great rays of light”; later the prayer of Father Sopoćko, Sister Faustina’s confessor; lastly the prayer of the Rosary and words of John Paul II. Throughout the entire symphony the most important sentence is woven: “Jesus, I trust in you”, or its Latin translation: “Jesu confido tibi”, which became a composer’s idea, but most notably, the desire to highlight this exceptional message.

While working on the symphony, there appeared a concept of separating one of the parts that may function independently. It is entitled ‘Precatio rosaria’ (or ‘Rosary Prayer’) and may be performed by a mixed choir a cappella.

Symphony No. 4 lasts ca. 40 minutes and is comprised of five parts. It is dedicated to a symphony orchestra, mixed choir, children’s choir and 2 soloists: soprano and baritone.

The premiere will take place in Białystok Sanctuary of Divine Mercy, with the participation of Anna Mikołajczyk-Niewiedział (soprano), Maciej Nerkowski (baritone) and the Choir, Children’s Choir and Orchestra of Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic conducted by Wojciech Michniewski.

© PWM / fot. Marta Filipczyk