This year for a theme we have chosen MYTH – which should be understood not in a sense of literary texts connected to ancient Greece (or other historic cultures for that matter), but rather a MYTH in an anthropological sense, viewed as an archetypical figure, an instrument of cognition, which transfers contents related to identity (individual, social, national, religious), a vehicle of collective memory, a conceptualization of fundamental aspects of human existence and its sense. MYTH understood as spiritual, social and metaphysical reality, which is personified by a ritual through musical and dramaturgical forms.
Alongside the main theme, we will also celebrate 60th birthday of Marcel Pérès – a musicologist, composer, singer, an expert in the field of liturgical chant tradition and also an honorary citizen of Jarosław. Through a series of presentations and seminars he will attempt to sum up 33 years of his pioneer work on liturgical music from various European traditions.
Here are some of the elements of XXIV Festival “Song of Our Roots”:
L’Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi – a masterpiece of European music, regarded as the first opera ever. It summarizes the entire 16th century musical knowledge and shapes its development across the next centuries.
“Descensus ad inferos” – Rafał Augustyn, Cantores Minores Wratislavienses, Schola Gregoriana Silesiensis and Schola Cantorum Minorum Chosoviensis – an apocryphal oratorio. This composition is written specially for Jarosław Festival by a contemporary composer Rafał Augustyn, and is designed for a big musical apparatus. The lyrical and dramaturgical content is based on apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, dated on fourth century AD, in which one can find a description of Christ descent into the abyss.
“Missa Ex Tempore” – Marcel Pérès and Camerata Silesia – this composition refers to early forms of sacred music (Johannes Ockeghem), however using contemporary compositional techniques. Marcel Pérès himself will perform monodic, cantor parts.
“Voie des songes” Ensemble Organum – this concert constitutes one of Marcel Pérès’ anniversary festivities. The programme encompasses musical work done by the Ensemble and its founder in the last 33 years (Corsican polyphony and Mozarabic chant, Morrocan Samaa tradition, Beneventan chant, works of Ockeghem and Machaut as well as Organum leader’s own compositions). The concert also broaches the subjects of Myth and Utopia.
“Sulla Lira” – Le Miroir de Musique will present us with a myth of Orfeo and his Lyre – in different musical forms, that have emerged throughout centuries, from ancient Greek hymns to late Renaissance works of Italian composers. Ensemble is led by Baptiste Romain, who specializes in early bowed instruments (lira and viola da braccio).
Sakhioba – Tbilisi-based choir will present cosmogony songs, submerged in Caucasian mythology and show an interesting analogies between Georgian and Greek mythology (Prometheus-Amirani)
Series of concerts will be accompanied by: