Travel Tip: Classical Music in United States
"La Lombardesca" - The Golden Era of Polish Baroque

U.S. premieres of Baroque Polish Polychoral Sacred Works by Mikołaj Zieleński, Adam Jarzębski, Marcin Mielczewski, Bartłomiej Pękiel, Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, Stanislaw Sylwester Szarzynski

In the last years of the 16th century and the first part of the 17th century, a number of distinguished Italian musicians were guests at the Polish royal court. Polish composers from this period focused on baroque religious music, concertos for voices, instruments, and basso continuo. The best-remembered composer of this period is Adam Jarzębski, known for his instrumental works. Other important composers include Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, Bartłomiej Pękiel, Stanisław Sylwester Szarzyński and Marcin Mielczewski. They captured the innovative baroque style that the Italians initiated around 1600. The compositions presented by Crescendo show the climax of the early baroque style in 'echo' compositions, in which different groups of performers dialogue with each other, "concertato" pieces, in which the voices and instruments have independent roles, and some motets that carry on the tradition of the "stile antico" - the counterpoint that was characteristic of the Renaissance. A cast of 14 period instruments - including cornetti and sackbuts - and eight vocal soloists, along with Crescendo's 43 voice choir, under the direction of Christine Gevert, Crescendo's Artistic Director, aims to bring this era to life.

Pre-Concert Music Discussion 30 minutes before concerts