Tuesday 7 November 19:30, St Martin-in-the-Fields
The Brabant Ensemble
Stephen Rice conductor
Rupert Jeffcoat organ
In the opening concert on 7 November, The Brabant Ensemble, known for its thoughtful and imaginative explorations of early music, focuses on music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Conducted by Stephen Rice, the music illustrates the abundant variety and artistry of Polish musical culture in the 16th and 17th centuries and includes music by two major composers from the period, Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki (1665-1734) and Mikołaj Zieleński (1560-1620) among others. The early pieces are interwoven with more contemporary works including Kyrie after Byrd by Roxanna Panufnik (b. 1968) – a meditation on the Kyrie melody from Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices, composed in 2014. The evening concludes with a setting of the famous medieval Polish hymn, Gaude Mater Polonia, composed by Wincenty of Kielcza (1200-1261).
Polish Treasures: Gems of the Polish Renaissance & Baroque
Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki Tota pulchra
Bartłomiej Pękiel Ave Maria
Cyprian Bazylik Z głębokości grzechów moich (De profundis)
Wacław of Szamotuły Ego sum pastor bonus
Aleksander Jan Szopa Piece gothique for organ
Marcin Mielczewski Beata Dei Genitrix Maria
Mikołaj Zieleński Tu es Petrus
Thomas Stolzer Beati omnes
Marcin Mielczewski Dixit Dominus
Johannes Nucius Vana salus hominum
Roxanna Panufnik Kyrie after Byrd
Wacław of Szamotuły Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae
Marian Sawa Nie opuszczaj nas for organ
Andreas Hakenberger O bone Iesu
Mikołaj Zieleński Laetentur caeli
Wincenty of Kielcza Gaude Mater Polonia
Friday 10 November 13:00, St Martin-in-the-Fields
Rupert Jeffcoat organ
Scottish organist Rupert Jeffcoat joins the choirs in each concert, performing solo music by Marian Sawa, Tomasz Soczek and 26-year-old Aleksander Jan Szopa. And for the first time, the Joy & Devotion Festival features a lunchtime concert in which Jeffcoat performs music by Frédéric Chopin, Witold Lutosławski and Maria Szymanowska, among others, including lively polkas and mazurkas.
Lunchtime concert: Songs from Poland, old and new
TBC:
Stanisław Moniuszko Mountain Dances from the opera “Halka”
Krzysztof Penderecki Prelude for clarinet solo
Zygmunt Noskowski From pilgrim’s songs
Witold Lutosławski Dance Preludes
Maria Szymanowska Polonaise in F minor
Stanisław Moniuszko Dream
Bronisław Kazimierz Przybylski Saggio di suonare for clarinet
Grażyna Bacewicz Folk Sketches
Fryderyk Chopin Three pieces from op. 17
Friday 10 November 19:30, St Martin-in-the-Fields
The Carice Singers
George Parris conductor
Rupert Jeffcoat organ
The Carice Singers present a beautifully conceived sequence from Andrzej Panufnik to Penderecki, exploring the sounds, colours and sense of profound spirituality that Polish composers have found to express their adoration for the Mother of God [10 Nov]. Entitled ‘Maryja’, inspired by an icon of the Virgin Mary housed in Poland, this concert includes the rarely heard Stabat Mater of Roman Padlewski, who died in the Warsaw Uprising whilst fighting the Second World War. This is programmed alongside such works as Aldona Nawrocka’s imaginative Ave Maria and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s celebrated Marian Songs. It will also be a chance to hear music by one of the most cherished Polish composers of modern times, Krzysztof Penderecki, whose O Gloriosa Virginum is a powerful tribute to the Blessed Mother.
Maryja
Andrzej Panufnik Song to the Virgin Mary
Tomasz Soczek Prelude and Fugue on Tonus Peregrinus
Roman Padlewski Stabat Mater
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki from Pieśni Maryjne (Marian Songs):
Matko Niebieskiego Pana
Matko najświętsza!
Aldona Nawrocka Ave Maria
Marian Sawa Fantazja Jutrznia for organ
Krzysztof Penderecki O Gloriosa Virginum
Saturday 11 November 19:30, St Martin-in-the-Fields
The Epiphoni Consort
Tim Reader conductor
Rupert Jeffcoat organ
The Epiphoni Consort close this year’s Joy & Devotion festival with a concert celebrating the passion and resurrection of Christ with a sumptuous selection of contemporary works on 11 November. The programme includes two works by Joy & Devotion Artistic Director, Paweł Łukaszewski, one of the most popular contemporary composers of Polish choral repertoire. Conducted by Tim Reader, the concert also features Angelus Domini by Andrzej Koszewski (1922-2015) – a composer who drew from folk music in his compositions and had a special ability to combine folk and religious influences into a moving sound world. The concert ends with Cantus gloriosus by Józef Świder (1930-2014) – a prominent, prize-winning composer who wrote more than 200 choral pieces.
Passion and Resurrection
Marek Jasiński Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord)
Andrzej Koszewski Angelus Domini
Paweł Łukaszewski Ave Maria
Szymon Godziemba-Trytek Beatus vir
Marian Sawa Fantazja nordycka (Nordic fantasy) for organ
Paweł Łukaszewski Crucem tuam adoramus, Domine
Weronika Ratusińska Adoratio crucis
Dominik Puk Vidi aquam
Michał Malec Salve Regina
Romuald Twardowski Alleluia
Tomasz Soczek Prelude and Fugue for Organ
Marcin Mielczewski Jubilate Domino
Maciej Żółtowski Victimae paschali laudes
Józef Świder Cantus gloriosus