Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki
Encyclopedia
Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki (ca. 1665 to 1667 – 30 April 1734) was a Polish
Baroque
composer.
(Bytom) in Silesia
around 1665, little is known of his early life. Similarly little is known about his musical education; however, it is known that he attended the University of Prague
, where he gained graduated from the department of Liberal Arts and Philosophy, and then attended the University of Vienna
where he gained a licentiate in Theology
. He arrived in Kraków
in 1689 or 1690, where he then attended the Catholic Seminary there. He was ordained on 22 March 1692.
Immediately after his ordination, he was appointed to the academy for missionary priests in Chełmno in Pomerania
, where he lectured in rhetoric and poetry, as well as conducting the local orchestra. After two years, he returned to Kraków, where he was appointed Curate
of the cathedral, and performed in the cathedral orchestra. He was appointed conductor on January 10, 1698, and remained in this position for the rest of his life, dying on April 30, 1734.
The earliest recorded information on any of Gorczycki's works comes from 1694, but he must have written a substantial amount before 1698 in order to be appointed Kapellmeister
. Unfortunately none of his compositions were ever published during his lifetime, so most of them have been lost; 39 works can however be safely attributed to him.
: unaccompanied compositions for choir
, sometimes with b.c. accompaniment in the antico style (motets
, masses
, songs
), as well as vocal-instrumental ones with b.c. accompaniment in the stile moderno featuring rich concertato technique multi-sectional and verse religious concertos as well as ensemble cantatas
.
Gorczycki is regarded as an outstanding Polish composer of high baroque
. He used the most advanced achievements of the compositional technique of those times.
His work is essentially divided into three strands:
or with small accompanying ensemble. It is here we see Gorczycki's mastery of counterpoint; he wrote masses
, as well as arrangements of introit
s, antiphons, offertories
and hymns which all belong to this category.
Examples include:
Examples include:
had Gorczycki's Ouverture ex D in its repertory.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
composer.
Life
Born in Rossberg (Rozbark) near BeuthenBytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
(Bytom) in Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
around 1665, little is known of his early life. Similarly little is known about his musical education; however, it is known that he attended the University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, where he gained graduated from the department of Liberal Arts and Philosophy, and then attended the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
where he gained a licentiate in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. He arrived in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
in 1689 or 1690, where he then attended the Catholic Seminary there. He was ordained on 22 March 1692.
Immediately after his ordination, he was appointed to the academy for missionary priests in Chełmno in Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
, where he lectured in rhetoric and poetry, as well as conducting the local orchestra. After two years, he returned to Kraków, where he was appointed Curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of the cathedral, and performed in the cathedral orchestra. He was appointed conductor on January 10, 1698, and remained in this position for the rest of his life, dying on April 30, 1734.
The earliest recorded information on any of Gorczycki's works comes from 1694, but he must have written a substantial amount before 1698 in order to be appointed Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
. Unfortunately none of his compositions were ever published during his lifetime, so most of them have been lost; 39 works can however be safely attributed to him.
Works
Gorczycki wrote mainly church musicChurch music
Church music may be defined as music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclestiacal liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. This article covers music in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. For sacred music outside this...
: unaccompanied compositions for choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, sometimes with b.c. accompaniment in the antico style (motets
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
, masses
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
, songs
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
), as well as vocal-instrumental ones with b.c. accompaniment in the stile moderno featuring rich concertato technique multi-sectional and verse religious concertos as well as ensemble cantatas
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
.
Gorczycki is regarded as an outstanding Polish composer of high baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
. He used the most advanced achievements of the compositional technique of those times.
His work is essentially divided into three strands:
Works in the Stile Antico
These are works for 4 part choir, either a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
or with small accompanying ensemble. It is here we see Gorczycki's mastery of counterpoint; he wrote masses
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
, as well as arrangements of introit
Introit
The Introit is part of the opening of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations. In its most complete version, it consists of an antiphon, psalm verse and Gloria Patri that is spoken or sung at the beginning of the celebration...
s, antiphons, offertories
Offertory
The Offertory is the portion of a Eucharistic service when bread and wine are brought to the altar. The offertory exists in many liturgical Christian denominations, though the Eucharistic theology varies among celebrations conducted by these denominations....
and hymns which all belong to this category.
Examples include:
- Missa paschalis
- Missa "Rorate"
- Sepulto Domino
- Tota pulchra es Maria
- Dignare me laudare te
- Ave Maria
Works in the Concertante style
This style was more current at this time, as opposed to the Renaissance style of the above works, and these works were composed for small ensemble and choir.Examples include:
- Laetatus sum
- In virtute tua
- Conductus funebris
- Completorium
- Illuxit sol
- Litaniae de Providentia Divina
Instrumental works
Whilst this section of his work is small, it is known that Gorczycki did write instrumental pieces; in 1962 evidence of a Ball Polonaise was discovered, however only a violin part remains. There is also evidence that the orchestra of WieluńWielun
Wieluń is a city in central Poland with 24,347 inhabitants . Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , it was previously in Sieradz Voivodeship .- History :...
had Gorczycki's Ouverture ex D in its repertory.
External links
- Cantus Quercus Press' short biography
- Completorium, Polish Early Music website
- Recording of Laetatus sum
- Polish Language Wikipedia entry for Gorczycki