Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki (ca. 1665 to 1667 – 30 April 1734) was a Polish
Baroque composer. Considered one of the greatest composers of Polish
Baroque music, during his lifetime he was called the "Polish
Handel".
Life
Born in
Rozbark near
Bytom in
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
, then
Habsburg-ruled
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia ( cs, České království),; la, link=no, Regnum Bohemiae sometimes in English literature referred to as the Czech Kingdom, was a medieval and early modern monarchy in Central Europe, the predecessor of the modern Czec ...
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 graduated from the department of Liberal Arts and Philosophy, and then attended the
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich hist ...
, where he gained a licentiate in
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
. He arrived in
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
in 1689 or 1690, where he then attended the Catholic Seminary. He was ordained on 22 March 1692.
Following his ordination, he was appointed to the academy for missionary priests in
Chełmno
Chełmno (; older en, Culm; formerly ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Due to its regional impor ...
in
Pomerania
Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...
, 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 10 January 1698, and remained in this position until his death on 30 April 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 attributed to him with surety.
Works
Gorczycki wrote mainly
church music
Church music is Christian music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclesiastical liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn.
History
Early Christian music
The on ...
: unaccompanied compositions for
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
, sometimes with
b.c. accompaniment in the ''stile antico'' (
motets,
masses,
song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetit ...
s), as well as vocal-instrumental works with b.c. accompaniment in the ''stile moderno'' featuring rich, concertato technique, multi-sectional and verse sacred concertos as well as ensemble
cantatas.
Gorczycki is regarded as an outstanding Polish composer of the high
baroque. He used the most advanced achievements of the compositional techniques of the time.
His work is essentially divided into three strands:
Works in the ''Stile Antico''
These are works for 4 part choir, either ''
a cappella'' or with small accompanying ensemble. It is here we see Gorczycki's mastery of counterpoint; he wrote
masses, as well as arrangements of
introit
The Introit (from Latin: ''introitus'', "entrance") is part of the opening of the liturgy, liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations. In its most complete version, it consists of an antiphon, Psalms, psalm verse and ' ...
s,
antiphons
An antiphon (Greek language, Greek ἀντίφωνον, ἀντί "opposite" and φωνή "voice") is a short chant in Christianity, Christian ritual, sung as a refrain. The texts of antiphons are the Psalms. Their form was favored by St Ambrose ...
,
offertories and
hymns
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
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 popular at the time, as opposed to the Renaissance style of the above works. 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
Wieluń
Wieluń ( la, Velun) is a town in south-central Poland with 21,624 inhabitants (2021). Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship (since 1999), it was previously in Sieradz Voivodeship (1975–1998).
Wieluń has a long and rich history. In the past, ...
had Gorczycki's ''Ouverture ex D'' in its repertory.
External links
Cantus Quercus Press' short biographyRecording of ''Laetatus sum''*
Polish Language Wikipedia entry for Gorczycki
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorczycki, Grzegorz Gerwazy
1660s births
1734 deaths
18th-century classical composers
18th-century male musicians
Polish Baroque composers
Polish classical composers
Polish male classical composers
16th-century Polish Roman Catholic priests
People from Bytom
17th-century Polish Roman Catholic priests