Marcin Józef Żebrowski, a violinist, singer (bass), composer, and music teacher, worked at the Pauline monastery at Jasna Góra, a significant Marian sanctuary.
Interpretation
This recording uses a male vocal ensemble, with a boy soprano performing the highest vocal part, in line with 18th-century performance practice.
Historical Context
The Pauline monastery at Jasna Góra, where Żebrowski worked, was the spiritual capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and a major center for the cult of the Queen of Heaven.
Recording & Production
The album was recorded live at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic during the Polish Baroque concert, part of the 56th Bydgoszcz Music Festival, on September 19, 2018.
Compositional Technique
Żebrowski's Magnificat in G major uses the same music for its opening and closing sections to create a sense of formal unity across its eleven contrasted sections.
Compositional Technique
The Missa Pastoritia features folk-like elements, such as a mazurka-like violin motif in the Kyrie and krakowiak-like sections with drone textures, reminiscent of a village band.
Composition History
Żebrowski's works, including those on this album, are considered some of the most important testaments to the excellence of 18th-century Polish music.
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