Born between 1665 and 1667 in Rozbark near Bytom in the family of Adam and Anna Gorczyca, owners of a manor farm. Most probably, he received his initial education at the local parish school. From around 1678 and probably to 1683, he studied at the University of Prague at the faculty of free art and philosophy, then he studied theology in Vienna and after around 7 years he received a title of Bachelor in theology. In 1689 or 1690 he arrived in Cracow, where on 23 December 1690 he received four lower priestly ordinations, then he received subdeaconate in 1691, diaconate in February 1692 and in March 1692 he became ordained into priesthood. It was at that time that he formally changed his surname from Gorczyca to Gorczycki. Over the next 2 years he held lectures on rhetoric and poetry at the Chełmno Academy run by missionary priests in that town in Pomerania. He also directed a band of the arch-presbyterian church. After his return to Cracow, on 1 October 1694 he assumed the position of a vicar of the Wawel Cathedral, in 1696 he became a cathedral confessor and on 10 January 1698 he received a position of a bandmaster (Magister capellae musices Ecclesiae Cathedralis Cracoviensis). His duties included, among others, conducting, preparing the repertoire, composing own pieces, copying the voices from compositions by other authors. While holding this position, he also received further church dignities: canon of the Collegiate Church in Skalbmierz – 1705 (which entailed giving up the vicariate), parish priest of the Church of Divine Mercy on the outskirts of Cracow known as Smoleńsk – before 1727 (which entailed taking care of the church hospital), examiner at the seminary – 1728. Even before being appointed to the position of a cathedral bandmaster, he became a guardian of prisoners serving their terms in the towers of the Wawel Castle. He performed all these duties until his death. He died on 30 April 1734 in Cracow. He has been commemorated by a memorial plaque placed in the Wawel Cathedral, on which he is referred to as a 'gem of priesthood'.
Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki was composer of almost exclusively religious music – due to his deep involvement in priestly functions and his care for musical setting compliant with the essence of liturgy as a bandmaster. He signed his works either with characteristic G.G.G. initials at the incipit of the bass voice or with full name. However, some works give rise to difficulties faced by musicologists, namely unsigned pieces albeit in Gorczycki’s handwriting. The function of a cathedral bandmaster obliged Gorczycki to take care of the repertoire, therefore manuscripts prepared by him did not have to mean that he had been an author of those pieces. Most of his compositions in the form of manuscripts and copies have survived at the Archive of the Chapter of the Wawel Cathedral. After World War II, manuscripts of two works – Completorium and Conductus funebris – were found at the archive of the Post-Reformate Parish Church in Raków Opatowski near Kielce.
Compositions with confirmed authorship:
- Alleluia. Ave Maria gratia plena (I) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Alleluia. Prophetae sancti - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Ave Hierarchia - soprano, alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Ave Maris Stella - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Ave Virgo speciosa - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Completorium (I):
- Cum invocarem - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 2 clarinos, basso continuo
- In te, Domine, speravi - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- Qui habitat - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- Ecce nunc benedicte - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, clarino, basso continuo
- Te lucis ante terminum - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- In manus tuas - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- Nunc dimittis - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 2 clarinos, basso continuo
- Completorium (II), lost
- Conductus funebris:
- Subvenite sancti - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 2 clarinos, alto violin, basso continuo
- Libera me Domine - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, alto violin, basso continuo
- In paradisum deducant te angeli - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 2 clarinos, alto violin, basso continuo
- Salve Regina - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 2 clarinos, alto violin, basso continuo
- Crudelis Herodes - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- Deus tuorum militum (I) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso pro organo
- Deus tuorum militum (II) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso ad organum
- Deus tuorum militum (II)
- Innocentes pro Christo infantes
- Dignare me laudare te - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Gratuletur Ecclesia - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso pro organo
- Iesu corona virginum - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso ad organum
- Iesu Redemptor omnium (I) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Iesu Redemptor omnium (II) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Iesu Redemptor omnium (III) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Illuxit sol - 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 3 violas
- In virtute tua - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- Iste confessor Domini - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, basso ripieno
- Iudica me Deus - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, basso continuo
- Iustus ut palma florebit - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- Laetare Ierusalem - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Laetatus sum - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 2 clarinos, basso pro organo
- Litaniae de Providentia Divina - 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, 2 oboes, 2 clarinos, bass violin, basso continuo
- Litaniae de SSmo Sacramento, ex A, lost
- Missa de Conceptione B. V. M. semper Immaculatae:
- Salve sancta Parens - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Benedicta et venerabilis - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Beata es Virgo Maria - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Beata viscera - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Gaude Maria Virgo - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Alleluia. Ave Maria gratia plena... Virga Iesse - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Missa paschalis - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Kyrie eleison
- Gloria
- Sanctus
- Benedictus
- Agnus Dei
- Missa 'Rorate' (I) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Rorate caeli desuper (I)
- Kyrie eleison
- Et in terra super cantilenas Adventus
- Sanctus
- Benedictus
- Agnus Dei
- Missa 'Rorate' (II) - alto, 2 tenors, bass:
- Rorate caeli desuper (II)
- Tollite portas
- Alleluia. Ave Maria gratia plena (II)
- Alleluia. Post partum
- Ave Maria gratia plena
- Ave Regina caelorum
- O rex gloriae Domine - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Os iusti meditabitur - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso continuo
- O sola magnarum urbium - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Overture ex D, lost
- Regina caeli laetare (I) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Rorate caeli desuper (III) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Rorate caeli desuper (IV), lost
- Rorate caeli desuper (V), lost
- Sancte Deus, Sancte Fortis - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Sepulto Domino - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Sub tuum praesidium - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Te Ioseph celebrent - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Tota pulchra es Maria - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Tristes erant Apostoli (I) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 2 violins, basso pro organo
- Tristes erant Apostoli (II), lost
- Vidi aquam - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, basso continuo
Compositions ascribed to Gorczycki:
- Alto ex Olympi vertice - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Ave Filia Dei Patris - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Ave mundi spes Maria - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Caelestis urbs Ierusalem - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Deo gratias (I) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (II) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (III) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (IV) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (V) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (VI) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (VII) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (VIII) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Deo gratias (IX) - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Deo gratias (X) - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Deo gratias (XI) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, basso continuo
- Deus tuorum militum (III) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, basso ripieno
- Domine ne longe facias - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, basso continuo
- Ecce Dominus veniet - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Eia Mater fons amoris - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Haec dies - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Insignis Mater - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Invicte Martyr unicum - soprano, alto, tenor, bass, basso ripieno
- Laetentur caeli - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Magnificet te Domine - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Missa Conceptionis B. V. M. - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Kyrie eleison
- Gloria
- Sanctus
- Agnus Dei
- Omni die - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Omnium sanctorum pia iuvamina - 2 sopranos, alto, tenor, bass
- Ball Polonaise - violin
- Regina caeli laetare (II) - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Rex gloriose Martyrum - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Sacris solemniis - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Salve mundi Domina - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Salve Virgo puerpera - alto, 2 tenors, bass
- Stabat Mater... eia Mater - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
- Stella caeli extirpavit - soprano, alto, tenor, bass
Author: Małgorzata Kosińska, Polish Music Information Centre, Polish Composers’ Union, December 2006. Last updated: November 2024.
