Echo sacrum

Thursday Concerts, choral — National Philharmonic Choir conducted by Bartosz Michałowski and music by Frank Martin and Rihards Dubra.

Choir of the National Philharmonic, photo: Deluga.art

Sometimes it is difficult to return to everyday life. We stand in silence, as if a word could destroy something fragile and extremely important. Echo sacrum leads to such an experience. When time stops and we don't want to leave the Philharmonic.
For centuries, choral music has been able to create a space of emotional resonance and a sense of well-being that does not need to be defined in words. Sacrum is born in being together, in a shared breath, harmony and emotions that transcend the boundaries of traditional communication. When the sound of dozens of voices permeates listeners, music becomes a profoundly transformative experience, taken outside the framework of everyday life.
The Mass for Frank Martin's a cappella double choir leads us towards an intimate, almost existential spirituality. The composer created this work in the second decade of the twentieth century, however, for more than forty years he did not agree to perform it, considering the Mass too personal to show it to the world. The premiere took place only in 1963 in Geneva and immediately moved the audience.
Rihards' Dubra's music, which grew out of the tradition of common singing, typical of the Baltic countries, is one of the most moving examples of contemporary choral work. Compared to Arvo Pärt or John Tavener, the Latvian composer operates with a luminous, pathos free sound, building emotions from simplicity, silence and subtlety. His Te Deum brings a sense of lightness, focus and inner elation. It is music that allows us to pause for a moment and reminds us that the sacrum can also manifest itself in sensitivity and hope.
The National Philharmonic Choir belongs to the most outstanding Polish vocal ensembles, valued for their exceptional sound culture, precision and repertoire versatility — from early music to contemporary works. The band regularly collaborates with the most important conductors and orchestras of the world, and its recordings have repeatedly won prestigious awards, including Grammys.
Choirmaster Bartosz Michałowski is one of the most respected Polish choral conductors, known for his extraordinary attention to timbre, detail and emotional depth of the music performed. Under his leadership, the National Philharmonic Choir develops a distinctive sound and exceptional interpretive intensity.

Maria Peryte