Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s a cappella choir music. Come, Holy Spirit. op. 61
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15633/pms.1516Keywords:
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Polish contemporary, religious music, a cappella music, Holy Spirit, sequenceAbstract
An exceptional place, due to its singularity, among compositions of Henryk Mikołaj Górecki is taken by the prayer to the Holy Spirit which is a musical interpretation of a text of one of the most popular sequences in the Catholic Church. Górecki reaches towards Polish sources: the popular translation used in the liturgy of Pentecost, taking them, according to his common practice, from a church song book, this time The Parish Hymnbook (Śpiewnik parafialny) collected and arranged by Father Wojciech Lewkowicz.
From the formal point of view, Górecki’s composition refers on one hand to the sequencing structure of the Latin original (aa bb cc etc.), whereas on the other – to the Polish model, in which the basis are two repeating musical groups. The melodic layer points to a strict connection with the two first melody segments of the Latin sequence. The score astounds with the simplicity of homorhythmical texture; melodics are simplified, the text is treated entirely syllabically. Exceptional specifics of the music are visible only while listening – the formogenic significance belongs to tonally approached harmonics and dynamic shadings and above all special, as if “stretched” sense of time. The complete composition acquires the character of a contemplative immersion in prayer. Time is of no importance anymore, and the liveliness of the music is bestowed by the waves of sometimes fervent and at other times calm expression and a specific nuance-like “play on colours” provided by harmony.
The biographical context of the composition is important here. The 80’s were difficult for Górecki; he struggled with health and professional adversities; he was also experiencing a creative crisis. In this context the ardent prayer to the Holy Spirit – the Comforter, the Giver of Wisdom – acquires a special meaning, particularly considering the fact that in his work Górecki never reached for subjects that were “indifferent” to him.
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