Description
This album in the Anthology of Polish A Cappella Music series was created on the eve of the first anniversary of Juliusz Luciuk's death.
This time, the 'Collegium Cantorum' Choir of the Czestochowa Philharmonic reached for the internationally unique work Vesperae in assumptione Beatae Mariae Virginis – Vespers on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. While researching the output of the Czestochowa-Cracow composer one can sense his individual style, based on a few indefeasible pillars. One of them is profound respect for tradition, with particular emphasis on the Gregorian chant, both in terms of the melodic solutions of the monody and the entire culture and performance conditions surrounding the chant. Other pillars of his work are the quest for colour in harmony and the peculiar simplicity of emotions reflecting the composer's personality. The Vespers presented on this album can be considered the quintessence of the style of Juliusz Luciuk, an artist who was particularly passionate about sacred music.
"The music is resolutely traditional but lifted from the very opening Assumpta est Maria by some glorious singing from the Czestochowa choir. No excessive Mariolatry, just rapt, uplifting voices, delivering old texts with precise musicality." – Choir & Organ, 4 STARS