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One of the leading representatives of Polish sacred and choral music, Łukaszewski is regarded as the successor of such composers as Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Krzysztof Penderecki, Arvo Pärt and John Tavener. He has been on the faculty of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music since 1996, holding a Ph.D. in composition and the title of Professor. In 2016 he was elected Vice-Rector. Responsoria Tenebrae was written in 2008 for the Kings Singers, an all-male ensemble from the UK. We’ll be performing Łukaszewski’s version for mixed choir. Continuing from last week’s Tenebrae Responsories for Maundy Thursday by Canadian Stephanie Martin, Łukaszewski’s work uses as text source the Responsories of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Each of those, as we explored last week, consists of 9 texts. Łukaszewski’s composition is made up of 5 movement; he uses Tenebrae factae sunt and Caligaverunt oculi mei from Good Friday, plus Recessit pastor noster, O vos omnes, and Ecce quomodo moritur justus from Holy Saturday. The central movement Recessit pastor noster leads with a exquisitely sorrowful melody, which could be an example for the general mood of the entire set. The work is reflective and calm, and we understand that the narrator is not part of the action, but rather a by-stander. Rarely does the music become loud, and if, only for short outburst, for example: attendite et videte (attend and see if there be any sorrow), or Destruxit quidem claustra inferni (He has destroyed the strongholds of the underworld). Being familiar with Paweł Łukaszewski’s compositions, I discover and recognize his musical expressions for the Passion, in particular the succession of minor chords (in tritone intervals), and the distinct and dissonant harmony of the word Jesum (a minor chord with an added 9) which can be found in several of his Passion works. An additional technique is the way the composer offsets homophonic sections by very small differences, creating a shimmering sonority, but also a certain discomfort. You can find an excellent recording of this work on Signum Classics, a great way to prepare yourself for our performance next week.
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