A choir concert of the Łódź Philharmonic Choir will take place in the Evangelical-Augsburg church of St Matthew in Łódź on 25 October 2020 at 5.00 p.m.
The choristers will present a stylistically diverse repertoire, which will include pieces from the 16th century (Wacław z Szamotuły) to the latest music (Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Krzysztof Penderecki). All these compositions will be united by a religious theme related to the All Saints' Day celebrated at the beginning of November.
We will hear, among others, one of the most famous religious songs by Wacław of Szamotuły, Already It Is Dusk. The work of this outstanding Renaissance composer captivates with the symmetry of phrases, clear texture and, above all, rich melodic inventiveness. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) was composed by Krzysztof Penderecki at the news of the death of the Primate of Poland Stefan Wyszyński and performed during his funeral ceremony. Before it became the fifth part of A Polish Requiem, it had functioned as an independent piece. Karol Szymanowski's Fac me tecum pie flere (Let me mingle tears with thee) from Stabat Mater is the prayer of the Mother of God, which refers to the religious works of the Renaissance. The programme will also include Stanisław Moniuszko's Ecce lignum crucis, Feliks Nowowiejski's Parce Domine from the Finding the Holy Cross oratorio and Sanctus from Missa pro pace, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki's compositions from the series From church songs, and works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Nikolai Kedrov.
The concert will be led by Dawid Ber, Choirmaster of the Łódź Philharmonic. Magdalena Szymańska (soprano), Dominika Stefańska (mezzo-soprano) and Rafał Maciejewski (baritone) will perform as soloists.
Full programme is available at: https://filharmonia.lodz.pl/pl