Musical culture in Monastery of the Poor Clares in Stary Sącz

Abstract

Big impact on the life of Church and on the public and cultural sphere has the formation of the new forms of religious life in Europe of the twelfth and thirteenth-century. So it was in Poland in the case of the monasteries of Poor Clares, especially Poor Clares in Stary Sacz which developed the rich musical life. Helpful in this regard were the structure of monastic life with various functions and ministries. Among them we find many serving liturgical music and not only and assigned to sisters of a special musical abilities. Moreover, sisters have led regular singing practice; learned new songs and even composed themselves. Inside the monastery acted religious band, for which the instruments were purchased; in a different period the monastic band functioned, employing also secular musicians, in addition to constantly employed organists. Sisters maintained also close contacts with the clergy who visiting the monastery brought ordered by Sisters liturgical books, among them a musical. In this way library of the monastery enriched by the book, which today are relics of the highest quality and sources of the specialized research on the culture of the monastery of Stary Sacz.