L

/
UKASZEWSKI
VIA
CRUCIS
BRITTEN SINFONIA

POLYPHONY
STEPHEN LAYTON
S
OME can relate better than others to the generalized
assertion that music and maths go together. To any
gifted musician with memories of teenage quadratic-
equation trauma, perhaps the statement would ring truer
if it were adjusted to music and arithmetic go together.
Because there is no doubt that music, at a fundamental
level, is all about numberscounting the beats of a bar,
counting the notes of the scale from one to eight.
Numerical relationships, and their larger structural
possibilities, have fascinated composers across the
centuries. Musicologists have feasted on Bachs predilec-
tion, symbolically so, for the number three. Dufays
isorhythmic motet Nuper rosarum flores, written for the
dedication of Florence Cathedral in 1436, has been shown
to be based on the proportional relationships of the
buildings floorplan. Modernity in music, from serialism
onwards, has often bound pitch, rhythm and number
patterns together.
So it is interesting that the numbers seven and four-
teen, so closely associated with the Passion story, havent
attracted more composers for the structural possibilities
they afford in shaping larger works. Haydn created an
extended, seven-movement meditation, both as a string
quartet and a cantata, on the Seven Last Words (actually
seven short sentences) uttered by Christ on the cross.
James MacMillan followed this example in 1993, with his
striking work for choir and string orchestra (recorded by
Polyphony for Hyperion, CDA67460).
Significant works based upon the 14 Stations of the
Cross can likewise be counted on one hand. There is
Liszts Via Crucislike Haydn, this Passiontide work
comes in more than one form, the main one being for
choir and organ. There is Marcel Duprs Le chemin de la
croix, Op 29, a liturgical sequence for organ. William
Mathiass Organ Concerto is structured upon the 14
Stations, and fourteen composers contributed separately
to a work for Australian vocal ensemble The Song
Company in 2004.
Is it the overt Roman Catholic associations that have
limited the number of composers attracted to the struc-
tural possibilities of 14 Stations of the Cross? After all, the
storyboard of Mel Gibsons gorily controversial movie
The Passion of the Christ closely follows the 14 Stations.
Clearly favouring the broader Passion narrative and Stabat
mater text, have Protestants, Lutherans and composers of
little-or-no faith tended to steer clear of this very Roman
form of veneration?
There is no doubting Pawel
/
L
/
ukaszewskis embedded
links to Polands particular strain of Roman Catholicism.
He was born and raised in the southern Polish town of
Cze

stochowa, for many the countrys spiritual capital

and home of the Black Madonna icon in the Jasna Gra
monastery. L
/
ukaszewski readily acknowledges the influ-
ence of growing up alongside Polands holiest relic, and
amongst a steady throng of spiritual pilgrims. It has
shaped his musical and spiritual being; and although he
studied cello, alongside composition, at Warsaws Fryderyk
Chopin University of Music, the majority of his output
to date comprises sacred choral works (see Hyperion
CDA67639) and he is Music Director of the Musica Sacra
Choir at Warsaw Cathedral.
The Jasna Gra monastery and the Black Madonna
icon itself have ancient pasts. Before its transfer to
Cze

stochowa in the year of the monasterys foundation,

1382, the origin and whereabouts of this soot-blackened
painting of the Virgin and Christ child remain the subject
of legend and conjecture. The evangelist St Luke is said
to have painted the icon on a cypress table-top belonging
to the Holy Family. It apparently moved from Jerusalem to
Constantinople in 326 A.D., where its miraculous powers
repelled Saracen invaders. Similarly, once in Cze

stochowa,
the Black Madonnas presence helped drive away a large
3
army of Swedish invaders, causing King Kazimierz the
following year, 1656, to proclaim the Black Madonna as
Queen and Protector of Poland.
Both the monastery and the icon are closely related
to more recent events, ones of more direct relevance and
resonance for someone like L
/
ukaszewski, growing up
there in the 1970s and 80s. During World War II, under
German occupation, the faithful made pilgrimages as a
show of defiance. Jasna Gra contains the ashes of Father
Jerzy Popiel
/
uszko, chaplain of the Solidarity movement
who was murdered by the secret police in 1984. Lech
Wal
/
e

sa gave his Nobel Peace Prize medal to the monastery

as a votive offering in 1982, and John Paul II, on becoming
Pope in 1979, celebrated Mass there for a million people
on the monastery steps.
All of this is important in considering the work featured
on this recording, because the sense of ecstatic, redemp-
tive victory at the end of the work (Christus vincit dm)
neednt be regarded merely in literal, religious terms.
The journey witnessed in the Via Crucisthe conflict,
the suffering, the humiliation, the defiance, the resurrec-
tioncan also be seen as a reflection on Polish
Catholicisms victory over Communism. This is certainly
the joined-up message in Jerzy Duda-Graczs paintings for
the Stations of the Cross at Jasna Gra, created at the same
time as, but not in connection with, L
/
ukaszewskis work. A
striking image such as Jasnorgrska Golgota, featured on
this booklets cover, politicizes and updates the crucifixion
iconography. The Polish Pope, Karol Wojtyl
/
a, is joined in
this deposition scene by other clericspresumably from
Jasna Gras past and presenta concentration camp
inmate and by the Black Madonna icon itself.
L
/
ukaszewskis Way of the Cross is one Station longer
than Liszts or Duprs. This reflects the Catholic Churchs
more recent embracing of a final, 15th Station for the
empty tomb and resurrectionan addition that brings
redemptive closure to the Paschal story on Easter Sunday.
L
/
ukaszewski employs the 15 Stations as a rigorous struc-
tural framework, so that the 55-minute span of the work
evolves, he says, in the manner of a mega-rondo.
Repetition, from one Station to the next, is central to
the works culminatory, ritual power. Every Station, except
the last, features a highly calculated sequence of recurring
motifs and refrains. They define themselves most of all
by textural separationsolo/choral, upper/lower voices,
a cappella/instrumentalbut also by tempo relation-
ships and contrasts of mood.
Each Station is announced by solemn, three-part
writing for male voices: austere, parallel fourths (one
perfect, one augmented) making for a consciously archaic
effectaggressive even, as if the singers are Pilates
strutting centurions. This stern pronouncement melts into
a supplicatory Adoramus te for sopranos and altos, each
time accompanied by a four-part trombone chorus of low-
voiced parallel fifths.
In successive Stations, narrative passages for the three
solo voices and the narrator, speaking in Latin, follow.
L
/
ukaszewski colour-codes each solo part. The Evangelist
part, written for a particularly high-lying countertenor
voice, is always doubled by a bass clarinet. The tenor part,
that of Pilatus, is tracked by the contrabassoon at the
octave or double octave. And the bass/Christus part is
always differentiated texturally with a doubling by the
alto flute. With simple but effective symbolism, at the
moment in the 12th Station when Christus bows his head
(Consummatum estIt is finished), the alto flute
carries on playing alone. Musically, the soul has left the
body.
The final recurring component of each Station features
a lamentation for upper voices and low strings, Qui passus
est pro nobisa more reflective, but equally austere
counterpart to the opening refrain for male voices. There
4
then follows a bridge passage between each Station for the
woodwind quartet and sustained, droning fifths in the
horns and lower strings. This recurring passage, based on
a Polish folk tune and with medieval-like hocketing effects
in the wind writing, is comparable to the Promenade
sections in Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition. Here
is a neutral space for the listener, free of text and voices,
where L
/
ukaszewski leads us on to the next Station. These
amorphic inter-Station passages, the composer writes,
enact the reset function. What is different from the other
repeated materials in Via Crucis is the way L
/
ukaszewski
gradually winds down the tempo of each successive re-
appearance. The first time it appears, we hear an alert,
springing dance, marked Allegro, q =120. With its last
appearance, at the end of the 13th Station, we hear a
mournful dirge, q =4046.
L
/
ukaszewski adjusts tempo and dynamics with one
final, crucial element of each Station. In the first two or
three, it is not apparent. By the fourth, firm, tutti chords
begin to register with the listener, because their number
relates to the number of the Station. They precede each
of the male-voice Station announcements, ever more
dominating. They are block-like blows of the hammer, and
L
/
ukaszewski cranks up the tempo from Grave, q =40/50
at the start to Moderato, q =90 at Station 12. For the final
two Stations, though, we are back to the Grave tempo, and
the iterations of this chord, in Christs death, have lost
their loud insistence.
L
/
ukaszewski guides us through the story further,
musically, in Stations 3, 7 and 9. These are the three
Stations where Jesus falls, so the hammer blow chords
are followed uniquely by snarling, snapped, brass-heavy
diminished fifthsone of them in Station 3, two in 7,
three in 9. These are musical signposts for subsequent
differences in each Station; here the messianic prophecy
from Isaiah Chapter 53 offers a presentiment of the
6
suffering of the Via Crucis. These passages are uniquely
for a cappella voices, and extend the overall range of the
choral writing with solo invocations amidst a wash of
sustained, eight-part clusters.
A similar, clustered wash of sound is achieved in the
longest Station, the 12th, when woodwinds and brass swap
their instruments for ocarinas. Eerie and disembodied,
and markedly different from the more firmly pitched
ocarina chorales in the second movement of Ligetis Violin
Concerto, L
/
ukaszewski prepares the way with haunting
eloquence for Christs death.
The 14th Station omits choir or soloists, and features
instead the most extended passage for spoken-voice narra-
tor. The solemn cor anglais solo that weaves through these
words is a Polish Christmas lullaby, Jezus malusienkia
quotation that symbolizes, L
/
ukaszewski writes, the birth
to new life after the death of the body.
Arvo Prt, in his setting of the St John Passion, takes
the listener on an ever so tightly controlled, unwavering
journey of tonal and textural experience. After 65 minutes
of calculated sparseness around A minor, the effect of his
final chorus, blazing into D major, can be monumentally
liberating. L
/
ukaszewski does something similar with his
15th Station for the Resurrection, though he is hugely
more expansive with his material both at that point, and
with everything that has preceded it.
With almost cinematic vividness, the choir treads at
first warily, then ever-more surely towards the light of
Christs resurrection. The horns, at last liberated from
their almost constant drones of paired fifths, lead the way
to each new chord with a Bruckner-like sense of harmonic
impetus. And then L
/
ukaszewski gives us the cataclysmic
release of C major, the chord of resurrection in Polish
liturgy on Easter Sunday. This is led by the organtutta
la forza, and until this point silent in the tension and
sadness of the Passion story. Choir and organ lead the way
from here to a reprise of the openingthis time with
Christ in victory and majesty, and with a final, ecstatic
chord bursting with the ambiguity of major and minor.
MEURIG BOWEN 2009
7
If you have enjoyed this recording perhaps you would like a catalogue listing the many others available on the Hyperion and Helios labels. If so,
please write to Hyperion Records Ltd, PO Box 25, London SE9 1AX, England, or email us at info@hyperion-records.co.uk, and we will be pleased to
send you one free of charge.
The Hyperion catalogue can also be accessed on the Internet at www.hyperion-records.co.uk
Via Crucis The Way of the Cross
1
CHORUS Via Crucis The Way of the Cross.
Statio Prima Station I
2
CHORUS Iudicium a Pontio Pilato pronuntiatum est. Judgement is pronounced by Pontius Pilate.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
3
NARRATOR Universa turba succlamabat dicens: The whole crowd cried out, saying:
CHORUS Crucifige, crucifige eum. Crucify, crucify him.
NARRATOR Pilatus autem tertio dixit ad illos: And Pilate said unto them the third time:
PILATE (tenor) Quid enim mali fecit iste? Why, what evil has he done?
Nullam causam mortis invenio in eo: I have found no cause of death in him:
corripiam ergo illum et dimittam. I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
EVANGELIST (countertenor) At illi instabant vocibus And they persisted with loud voices,
magnis postulantes, ut crucifigeretur: demanding that he be crucified.
et invalescebant voces eorum. And their voices grew in strength.
Et Pilatus adiudicavit fieri petitionem eorum. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
Dimisit autem illis eum, qui propter homicidium And he released him to them that for sedition
et seditionem missus fuerat in carcerem, and murder was cast into prison,
quem petebant, Jesum vero tradidit voluntati eorum. whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
LUKE 23:2125
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Secunda Station II
4
CHORUS Jesus Crucem sustinuit. Jesus takes up his Cross.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
5
NARRATOR Dicebat autem Jesus ad omnes: And Jesus said to them all:
JESUS (baritone) Si quis vult post me venire, If any man wants to follow me,
abneget semetipsum let him deny himself,
et tollat Crucem suam quotidie, et sequatur me. and take up his Cross daily, and follow me.
LUKE 9:23
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Tertia Station III
6
CHORUS Jesus sub Cruce primum prolapsus est. Jesus falls under the Cross for the first time.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
8
7
SOLO VOICES Quis credidit auditui nostro? Who has believed our report?
Et brachium Domini cui revelatum est? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
Et ascendet sicut virgultum coram eo; For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant,
Et sicut radix de terra sitienti: and as a root out of a dry ground:
Non est species ei, neque decor, et vidimus eum, he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,
Et non erat aspectus, et desideravimus eum; there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Despectum, et novissimum virorum, He is despised and rejected of men;
Virum dolorum, et scientem infirmitatem, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:
Et quasi absconditus vultus eius et despectus, and we hid as it were our faces from him;
Unde nec reputavimus eum. he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
ISAIAH 53:13
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Quarta Station IV
8
CHORUS Mater obviam amantissimo Filio occurrit. The mother comes across the path of her most beloved Son.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
9
NARRATOR Senex Simeon prophetizans The aged Simeon prophesied,
dixit ad Mariam, matrem Jesu: and said unto Mary the mother of Jesus,
SIMEON (tenor) Ecce positus est hic in ruinam, Behold, he is set for the fall
et in resurrectionem multorum in Israel, and rising again of many in Israel;
et in signum cui contradicetur: and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius and a sword shall pierce through your own soul also
ut revelentur ex multis cordibus cogitationes. that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
LUKE 2:3435
CHORUS Dolorosa et lacrimabilis es, Virgo Maria! You are sad and tearful, Virgin Mary!
Quia in passione Christi animam tuam For in the passion of the Christ
doloris gladius pertransivit. a sword of misery has pierced your soul.
Statio Quinta Station V
bl
CHORUS Jesus a Simone Cyrenaeo Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene
in baiulatione Crucis adiutus est. in the carrying of his Cross.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
bm
EVANGELIST (countertenor) Exeuntes autem invenerunt And as they came out, they found
hominem Cyrenaeum, nomine Simonem: a man of Cyrene, Simon by name:
hunc angariaverunt ut tolleret Crucem eius. him they compelled to bear his Cross.
MATTHEW 27:32
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
9
Statio Sexta Station VI
bn
CHORUS Veronica vultum Christi sudario detersit. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus with her handkerchief.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
bo
EVANGELIST (countertenor) Auferet Dominus Deus The Lord God will wipe away
Lacrymam ab omni facie, tears from off all faces;
Et opprobrium populi sui auferet and the rebuke of his people shall he take away
De universa terra; from off all the earth:
Quia Dominus locutus est. for the Lord has spoken it.
Et dicet in die illa: And it shall be said in that day:
EVANGELIST (tenor) Iste Dominus, sustinuimus eum: This is the Lord; we have waited for him,
Exultabimus, et laetabimur in salutari eius. we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Quia requiescet manus Domini For in this mountain
In monte isto. shall the hand of the Lord rest.
ISAIAH 25:810
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Septima Station VII
bp
CHORUS Jesus iterum sub Cruce prolapsus est. Jesus falls under the Cross a second time.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
bq
SOLO VOICES Vere languores nostros ipse tulit, Surely he has borne our griefs,
Et dolores nostros ipse portavit; and carried our sorrows:
Et nos putavimus eum quasi leprosum, yet we did esteem him stricken,
Et percussum a Deo, et humiliatum. smitten of God, and afflicted.
Ipse autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras, But he was wounded for our transgressions,
Attritus est propter scelera nostra; he was bruised for our iniquities:
Disciplina pacis nostrae super eum, the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
Et livore eius sanati sumus. and with his stripes we are healed.
ISAIAH 53:45
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Octava Station VIII
br
CHORUS Mulieres Jesum Christum The women
lamentabilem lamentabantur. lament for the lamentable Jesus Christ.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
10
bs
EVANGELIST (countertenor) Sequebatur autem illum And there followed him
multa turba populi et mulierum, a great company of people, and of women,
quae plangebant et lamentabantur eum. who also bewailed and lamented him.
NARRATOR Conversus autem ad illas Jesus dixit: But Jesus turning to them said,
JESUS (baritone) Filiae Jerusalem, nolite flere super me, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me,
sed super vos ipsas flete et super filios vestros. but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Quoniam ecce venient dies in quibus dicent: For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say,
Beatae steriles, et ventres qui non Blessed are the barren, and the wombs
genuerunt et ubera quae non lactaverunt. that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Tunc incipient dicere montibus: Then shall they begin to say to the mountains,
Cadite super nos, et collibus: Operite nos. Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Quia si in viridi ligno haec faciunt, in arido quid fiet? For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
LUKE 23:2731
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Nona Station IX
bt
CHORUS Jesus Christus sub Cruce tertium cecidit. Jesus falls under the Cross a third time.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
bu
Omnes nos quasi oves erravimus, All we like sheep have gone astray;
Unusquisque in viam suam declinavit; we have turned every one to his own way;
Et posuit Dominus in eo and the Lord has laid on him
Iniquitatem omnium nostrum. the iniquity of us all.
Oblatus est quia ipse voluit, He appeared as he chose to,
Et non aperuit os suum; yet he opened not his mouth:
Sicut ovis ad occisionem ducetur, he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
Et quasi agnus coram tondente se obmutescet, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,
Et non aperit os suum. so he openeth not his mouth.
ISAIAH 53:67
Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Decima Station X
cl
CHORUS Jesus vestibus nudatus et felle potatum est. Jesus is stripped of his garments and drinks poison.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
cm
Milites ergo cum crucifixissent eum, Then the soldiers, when they had crucified him,
acceperunt vestimenta eius (et fecerunt quatuor partes: took his garments (and made four parts,
unicuique militi partem) et tunicam. every soldier a part); and also his coat.
11
Erat autem tunica inconsutilis, Now the coat was without seam,
desuper contexta per totum. woven from the top throughout.
Dixerunt ergo ad invicem: They said therefore among themselves,
Non scindamus eam, sed sortiamur de illa cuius sit. Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.
Ut Scriptura impleretur, dicens: That the Scripture might be fulfilled, which said,
Partiti sunt vestimenta mea sibi: They parted my raiment among them,
et in vestem meam miserunt sortem. and for my vesture they did cast lots.
Et milites quidem haec fecerunt. These things therefore the soldiers did.
JOHN 19:2324
Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Undecima Station XI
cn
CHORUS Cruciatores Jesum Christum crucifigaverunt. The torturers crucify Jesus Christ.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
co
Et perducunt illum Golgotha locum: And they bring him to the place Golgotha,
quod est interpretatum Calvariae locus. which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.
Et dabant ei bibere myrrhatum vinum: And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh:
et non accepit. but he received it not.
Erat autem hora tertia: et crucifixerunt eum. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
Et erat titulus causae eius inscriptus: And the superscription of his accusation was written over,
REX IUDAEORUM. THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Et cum eo crucifigunt duos latrones; And with him they crucify two thieves;
unum a dextris, et alium a sinistris eius. the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
Et impleta est Scriptura, quae dicit: And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith,
Et cum iniquis reputatus est. And he was numbered with the transgressors.
MARK 15:2223, 2528
Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Duodecima Station XII
cp
CHORUS Jesus Christus in Cruce mortuus est. Jesus Christ dies on the Cross.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
cq
NARRATOR Stabat autem iuxta Crucem Jesu mater eius; Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus his mother;
et soror matris eius, Maria Cleophae et Maria Magdalene. also his mothers sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
EVANGELIST (countertenor) Cum vidisset ergo Jesus matrem When Jesus therefore saw his mother,
et discipulum stantem, quem diligebat, dicit matri suae: and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said unto his mother:
JESUS (baritone) Mulier, ecce filius tuus. Woman, behold your son!
12
EVANGELIST Deinde dicit discipulo: Then he said to the disciple:
JESUS Ecce mater tua. Behold your mother!
EVANGELIST Et ex illa hora accepit eam discipulus in sua. And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
NARRATOR Postea sciens Jesus After this, Jesus knowing
quia omnia consummata sunt, that all things were now accomplished,
ut consummaretur Scriptura, dixit: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said:
JESUS Sitio. I thirst.
EVANGELIST Vas ergo erat positum aceto plenum. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar:
Illi autem spongiam plenam aceto, and they filled a sponge with vinegar,
hyssopo circumponentes, obtulerunt ori eius. and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
NARRATOR Cum ergo accepisset Jesus acetum, dixit: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said:
JESUS Consummatum est. It is finished.
NARRATOR Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum. And he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
JOHN 19:2530
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Statio Tertia Decima Station XIII
cr
CHORUS Corpus Jesu Christi de Cruce depositum est. The body of Jesus Christ is taken down from the Cross.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
cs
EVANGELIST (tenor) Judaei ergo (quoniam parasceve erat) The Jews therefore (because it was the preparation)
ut non remanerent in Cruce corpora sabbato that the bodies should not remain upon the Cross on the sabbath day
(erat enim magnus dies ille sabbati), (for that sabbath day was a high day),
rogaverunt Pilatum ut frangerentur eorum crura, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken,
ut tollerentur. and that they might be taken away.
Venerunt ergo milites: Then came the soldiers,
et primi quidem fregerunt crura, and broke the legs of the first,
et alterius, qui crucifixus est cum eo. and of the other which was crucified with him.
EVANGELIST (countertenor) Ad Jesum autem cum venissent, But when they came to Jesus,
ut viderunt eum iam mortuum, non fregerunt eius crura, and saw that he was dead already, they did not break his legs:
sed unus militum lancea latus eius aperuit, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side,
et continuo exivit sanguis et aqua. and forthwith came there out blood and water.
JOHN 19:3134
CHORUS Qui passus est pro nobis, You who died for us,
Jesu Christe, miserere nobis. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
13
Statio Quarta Decima Station XIV
ct
CHORUS Corpus Christi sepulchro conditum est. The body of the Christ is laid in a tomb.
Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Jesu Christe We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ
cu
NARRATOR Post haec autem rogavit Pilatum Joseph And after this Joseph of Arimathaea
ab Arimathaea (eo quod esset discipulus Jesu, (being a disciple of Jesus,
occultus autem propter metum Judaeorum), but secretly for fear of the Jews)
ut tolleret corpus Jesu. besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus.
Venit autem et Nicodemus, And there came also Nicodemus,
qui venerat ad Jesum nocte primum, ferens mixturam which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture
myrrhae et aloes, quasi libras centum. of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight.
Acceperunt ergo corpus Jesu, et ligaverunt illud linteis Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes
cum aromatibus, sicut mos est Judaeis sepelire. with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
Erat autem in loco, ubi crucifixus est, hortus: Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden;
et in horto monumentum novum, and in the garden a new sepulchre,
in quo nondum quisquam positus erat. wherein was never man yet laid.
Ibi ergo propter parasceven Judaeorum, There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews preparation day;
quia iuxta erat monumentum, posuerunt Jesum. for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
JOHN 19:3842
Statio Ultima Final Station
dl
CHORUS Una autem sabbati, Maria Magdalene venit mane, The first day of the week came Mary Magdalene early,
cum adhuc tenebrae essent, ad monumentum; when it was yet dark, to the sepulchre,
et vidit lapidem sublatum a monumento. and saw the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Cucurrit ergo, et venit ad Simonem Petrum, Then she ran, and came to Simon Peter,
et ad alium discipulum, quem amabat Jesus, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved,
et dicit illis: Tulerunt Dominum de monumento, and said unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre,
et nescimus ubi posuerunt eum. and we know not where they have laid him.
JOHN 20:12
Tertia die resurrexit Victor mortis. On the third day the Victor over death rises.
Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Jesu, to you be glory,
Qui passus es pro servulis, you who died for your servants,
Cum Patre et almo Spiritu with the Father and the nourishing Spirit,
In sempiterna saecula. for an age of ages.
Christus vincit Christ conquers
dm
CHORUS Christus vincit, Christ conquers,
Christus regnat, Christ reigns,
Christus imperat. Christ rules.
14
Polyphony
Polyphony was formed by Stephen Layton in 1986 for a
concert in Kings College Chapel, Cambridge. Since then
the choir has performed and recorded regularly to wide
critical acclaim throughout the UK and abroad. The
outstanding feature was the superbly unified, balanced
and expressive choral singing of Polyphonya real
wonder, wrote The Independent. For more than a decade
Polyphony has given annual sell-out performances of
Bachs St John Passion and Handels Messiah at St Johns,
Smith Square. These have become notable events in
Londons music calendar and have been broadcast by BBC
Radio 3 and the EBU. Since its double BBC Proms debut
in 1995, Polyphonys performance highlights include
Schnittkes Symphony No 2 with the BBC Symphony
Orchestra, and premiere performances in collaboration
with Arvo Prt, Thomas Ads, Morten Lauridsen, James
Dillon, and with John Tavener as part of the Barbicans
Great Performers series.
Polyphonys extensive discography on Hyperion
encompasses works by Tavener, Prt, Grieg, Grainger,
Britten, Poulenc, Walton, Rutter, MacMillan, Lauridsen,
and Whitacre. Their disc of Britten (CDA67140) won a
Gramophone Award and a Diapason dOr. Discs of works
by Morten Lauridsen (Lux aeterna, CDA67449) and Eric
Whitacre (Cloudburst, CDA67543) won Grammy Award
nominations. The choirs recording of Bruckners Mass
in E minor and motets moved Gramophone to write: Put
simply, were unlikely to hear choral singing as fine as this
for a good few years to come.
15

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soprano Katy Butler, Katy Cooper, Juliet Fraser*, Amy Haworth*, Amy Moore, Rachael Parsons, Katie Thomas, Amy Wood
alto David Allsopp, Ruth Gibbins, Kim Porter*, Abi Smetham, Harriett Webb, Tom Williams*
tenor Ben Alden, Tom Cockett, Jon English*, Thomas Hobbs, Graham Neal, Nicholas Todd*
bass James Birchall, Julian Clarkson, Edward Grint*, Andrew McIntosh, Tom Oldham, Charles Pott, Andrew Rupp*, Richard Savage
* solo group on tracks 7 and 15
Britten Sinfonia
One of Europes most celebrated and innovative groups,
Britten Sinfonia features some of the finest chamber
musicians and soloists. The orchestra is widely praised for
the quality of its performance and intelligent approach
to concert programming, which is centred around the
development of its players. Uniquely, it does not have a
principal conductor or artistic director but chooses to work
with a range of the finest international guest artists, as
suited to each particular project.
Britten Sinfonia performs in many of Europes finest
concert halls and festivals and is a regular at the BBC
Proms. It has residencies in Cambridge, Norwich,
Birmingham and Krakow, with a concert series at the
Southbank Centre and Wigmore Hall in London. The
ensemble enjoys a blossoming international profile, and
broadcasts frequently on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. The
orchestra has received awards including a Gramophone
Award and in 2007 won the prestigious Royal Philhar-
monic Society Ensemble Award in recognition for its
work. For Hyperion the orchestra has recorded discs
of Lauridsen with Polyphony, and Hartmanns Concerto
funebre with violinist Alina Ibragimova.
violin 1 Thomas Gould, Magnus Johnston, Manon Derome
Beatrix Lovejoy, Gillon Cameron, Katherine Shave
Elizabeth Wexler
violin 2 Miranda Dale, Nicola Goldscheider, Marcus Broome
Judith Kelly, Eluned Pritchard
viola Clare Finnimore, Catherine Musker, Rachel Byrt
Catherine Bradshaw
cello Caroline Dearnley, Ben Chappell, Julia Vohralik
double bass Stephen Williams, Roger Linley
flute / alto flute Emer McDonough
oboe / cor anglais Janey Millar
clarinet / bass clarinet / ocarina Joy Farrall
bassoon / contra bassoon / ocarina Andrew Watson
French horn / ocarina Richard Dilley, Tom Rumsby Kira Doherty
Simon Morgan
trombone / ocarina Simon Gunton, Michael Lloyd
bass trombone / ocarina Andrew Waddicor
tuba / ocarina Kevin Morgan
timpani / percussion Adrian Bending
percussion Owen Gunnell, Sam Staunton, Adam Dennis
Chris Woodham
organ Stephen Farr
16
Iestyn Davies
Iestyn Davies studied Archaeology and Anthropology at
Cambridge, where he was a choral scholar at St Johns
College, before pursuing his vocal studies at the Royal
Academy of Music. Since his debut as Ottone in Lincoro-
nazione di Poppea for Zrich Opera operatic roles have
included Handels Jephtha and Monteverdis Il ritorno
dUlisse in patria for Welsh National Opera; Purcells King
Arthur and Brittens Death in Venice for English National
Opera and Vivaldis Griselda in Paris. Iestyn Davies has
won praise for the power, fullness and sheer personality of
his voice.
Allan Clayton
Allan Clayton was a choral scholar at St Johns College,
Cambridge, before studying at the Royal Academy of Music,
where he was awarded an inaugural Sir Elton John Scholar-
ship and a John Lewis Award. He was also awarded a
Maidment Scholarship, administered by the Musicians
Benevolent Fund, a Star Award from the Countess of
Munster Musical Trust, and The Queens Commendation
for Excellence 2007. Allan is a member of the BBC New
Generation Artists scheme, and was awarded a 2008 Borletti-
Buitoni Trust Fellowship and the John Christie Award
following his debut at the 2008 Glyndebourne Festival.
Andrew Foster-Williams
Acclaimed throughout the press for his authoritative,
sonorous and regal voice, Andrew Foster-Williams
combines intelligent music-making with an instinctive
dramatic sense. He brings vocal agility and richness of
tone to concert hall and opera house alike. Andrew studied
at the Royal Academy of Music where he has since been
made an Associate. He established important relationships
early in his career with Opera North, Glyndebourne and
the Gttingen Handel Festival. He has also appeared in
concert with conductors including Sir Roger Norrington,
William Christie, Paul McCreesh and Christopher Hogwood.
Roger Allam
Roger Allam is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare
Company and has worked extensively in the West End
and the National Theatre. He has also worked widely in
film, television and radio, and occasionally with the
Hall, Les Arts Florissants, the Bournemouth Symphony,
The Orchestra Revolutionnaire et Romantique, the
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Medici Quartet.
He has won two Olivier awards and created the role of
Javert in Les Misrables.
17
Stephen Layton
Stephen Layton has established himself in recent years as
one of Britains most admired conductors. His interpre-
tations of Bach and Handel have been heard from the
Sydney Opera House to the Concertgebouw, and with
orchestras ranging from the Academy of Ancient Music
and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment to the
London Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
As Director of Music at the Temple Church, his bold
realization of Taveners epic all-night vigil The Veil of the
Temple met with acclaim at its premiere performances in
London and at New Yorks Lincoln Center. Other important
composer collaborations, with Polyphony, have included
premiere performances and recordings of music by Arvo
Prt, James MacMillan, Thomas Ads, Morten Lauridsen
and Eric Whitacre.
A former Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Chamber
Choir, Layton now holds positions as Chief Guest
Conductor of the Danish Radio Choir, Director of Poly-
phony, Artistic Director of the Holst Singers and Director of
Music at Trinity College, Cambridge. He works widely as
a guest conductor of numerous orchestras and at English
National Opera, where he conducted Deborah Warners
staging of Bachs St John Passion. Layton has a close
relationship with the Britten Sinfonia with whom he
records a wide range of repertoire.
Laytons eclectic and award-winning discography
includes music by Ads, Britten, Bruckner, Cornelius,
Grainger, Gretchaninov, Handel, Holst, MacMillan, Prt,
Poulenc, Rutter, Schnittke, Tavener and Walton.

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C
ERTAINS peuvent comprendre mieux que dautres
cette ide assez rpandue selon laquelle la musique
et les maths vont de pair . Pour tout musicien de
talent qui se souvient du traumatisme des quations au
second degr de son adolescence, cette ide se prsen-
terait peut-tre sous un jour meilleur si on la formulait
ainsi : la musique et larithmtique vont de pair . Car
il ne fait aucun doute que la musique, un niveau
fondamental, traite de chiffrescompter les temps dune
mesure, compter les notes de la gamme de un huit.
Les relations numriques et leurs possibilits struc-
turelles largies fascinent les compositeurs depuis des
sicles. La prdilection symbolique de Bach pour le chiffre
trois fait la joie des musicologues. On a dmontr que le
motet isorythmique de Dufay Nuper rosarum flores, crit
pour la ddicace de la cathdrale de Florence en 1436,
repose sur les relations proportionnelles du plan du
btiment. Depuis le srialisme, la modernit en musique
unit souvent la hauteur du son, le rythme et les chiffres.
Il est donc intressant que les chiffres sept et quatorze,
qui sont indissociables de lhistoire de la Passion, naient
pas attir davantage de compositeurs en vertu des
possibilits structurelles quils offrent pour modeler des
uvres denvergure. Haydn a crit une vaste mditation en
sept mouvements, la fois sous forme de quatuor cordes
et de cantate, sur les Sept Dernires Paroles (en ralit
sept courtes phrases) prononces par le Christ sur la croix.
James MacMillan a suivi son exemple en 1993 avec une
partition saisissante pour chur et orchestre cordes
(enregistre par Polyphony pour Hyperion, CDA67460).
Les uvres importantes qui reposent sur les quatorze
stations du Chemin de croix peuvent aussi se compter sur
les doigts de la main: Via Crucis de Lisztcomme chez
Haydn, cette uvre du temps de la Passion existe sous
plusieurs formes, la principale tant crite pour chur et
orgue ; Le Chemin de la croix, op. 29, de Marcel Dupr,
qui est une squence liturgique pour orgue ; le Concerto
pour orgue de William Mathias, structur sur les quatorze
stations ; et une uvre collective pour lensemble vocal
australien The Song Company laquelle ont contribu
quatorze compositeurs, en 2004.
Faut-il imputer la connotation catholique romaine
manifeste le nombre limit de compositeurs attirs par les
possibilits structurelles des quatorze stations du Chemin
de croix ? Pourtant, le story-board du film sordidement
controvers de Mel Gibson The Passion of the Christ ( La
Passion du Christ ) suit de prs les quatorze stations.
Prfrant de loin une narration plus large de la Passion et
le texte du Stabat mater, les protestants, les luthriens et
des compositeurs peu ou non croyants ont-ils voulu rester
lcart de cette forme trs romaine de vnration?
Il ny a aucune raison de douter des liens trs ancrs
de Pawel
/
L
/
ukaszewski avec le courant spcifique du
catholicisme romain de la Pologne. Il est n et a t lev
dans la ville de Cze

stochowa, dans le sud de la Pologne, qui

est pour beaucoup de gens la capitale spirituelle du pays et
le lieu qui abrite licne de la Vierge noire au monastre de
Jasna Gra. L
/
ukaszewski reconnat volontiers linfluence
quil a subi pour avoir t lev au milieu des saintes
reliques de la Pologne et dune foule constante de plerins.
Cest ce qui a form sa personnalit musicale et
spirituelle : et bien quil ait tudi le violoncelle, en mme
temps que la composition, lUniversit de musique
Frdric Chopin de Varsovie, la majeure partie de sa
production comprend des uvres chorales sacres (voir
Hyperion CDA67639) et il est directeur musical du Chur
Musica Sacra la cathdrale de Varsovie.
Lhistoire du monastre de Jasna Gra et de licne de
la Vierge noire est trs ancienne. Lorigine et les lieux o se
trouvait ce tableau noirci la suie de la Vierge et de
18
L
/
UKASZEWSKI Via Crucis
lenfant Jsus avant son transfert Cze

stochowa, lanne
de la fondation du monastre, en 1382, restent un sujet
de lgende et de conjecture. Lvangliste saint Luc aurait
peint cette icne sur un dessus de table en cyprs
appartenant la Saint Famille. Elle a apparemment t
envoye de Jrusalem Constantinople en 326 aprs
Jsus-Christ, o ses pouvoirs miraculeux ont repouss les
envahisseurs sarrasins. De mme, une fois Cze

stochowa,
la prsence de la Vierge noire a aid chasser une grande
arme denvahisseurs sudois, ce qui a amen le roi
Kazimierz lanne suivante, en 1656, proclamer la Vierge
noire reine et protectrice de la Pologne.
Le monastre comme licne sont troitement lis
des vnements plus rcents qui prsentent davantage
dintrt et dcho pour quelquun comme L
/
ukaszewski,
qui y a grandi dans les annes 1970 et 1980. Au cours de la
Seconde Guerre mondiale, sous loccupation allemande,
les fidles y ont fait des plerinages en signe de dfi. Jasna
Gra contient les cendres du pre Jerzy Popiel
/
uszko,
aumnier du mouvement Solidarnos c assassin par la
police secrte en 1984. Lech Wal
/
e

sa a donn sa mdaille
de Prix Nobel de la paix au monastre en guise doffrande
votive en 1982, et le pape Jean-Paul II, lorsquil est devenu
pape en 1979, y a clbr la messe devant un million de
personnes sur les marches du monastre.
Tout ceci est important pour apprcier luvre prsen-
te dans cet enregistrement, car il nest pas ncessaire de
considrer simplement en termes religieux littraux le
sentiment de victoire extatique, rdemptrice, qui jaillit la
fin (Christus vincit dm ). Le chemin dont tmoigne la Via
Crucisle conflit, les souffrances, lhumiliation, le dfi,
la rsurrectionpeut aussi tre apprhend comme une
rflexion sur la victoire du catholicisme polonais sur le
communisme. Cest certainement le message engag des
tableaux de Jerzy Duda-Gracz pour les stations du Chemin
de croix Jasna Gra, qui datent de la mme poque que
luvre de L
/
ukaszewski, mais sans relation avec cette
dernire. Une image frappante comme le Jasnorgrska
Golgota, prsente sur la couverture de cette plaquette,
politise et modernise liconographie de la crucifixion. Le
pape polonais Karol Wojtyl
/
a figure dans cette dposition
avec dautres ecclsiastiquesappartenant probablement
au pass et au prsent de Jasna Graavec un dtenu de
camp de concentration et licne de la Vierge noire elle-
mme.
Le Chemin de croix de L
/
ukaszewski comporte une
station de plus que celui de Liszt ou de Dupr, ce qui
traduit ladoption plus rcente par lglise catholique
dune quinzime et dernire station pour le tombeau vide
et la rsurrectionajout qui amne la clture
rdemptrice de lhistoire pascale au dimanche de Pques.
L
/
ukaszewski utilise les quinze stations comme un cadre
structurel rigoureux et, comme il le dit lui-mme, la dure
de cinquante-cinq minutes de luvre volue la
manire dun mga rondo .
La rptition, dune station la suivante, est essentielle
la puissance rituelle et culminatoire de luvre. Chaque
station, lexception de la dernire, prsente une
squence trs calcule de motifs rcurrents et de refrains.
Ils se dfinissent essentiellement par une sparation en
matire de texturesolo /choral, voix aigus / voix graves,
a cappella / instrumentalmais aussi par des relations
de tempo et des contrastes datmosphre.
Chaque station est annonce par une criture
solennelle trois voix pour voix dhommes : quartes
parallles austres (une juste, une augmente) produisant
un effet archaque voulumme agressif, comme si les
chanteurs taient les centurions de Pilate la dmarche
orgueilleuse. Cette dclaration svre se fond dans un
Adoramus te implorant confi aux sopranos et aux altos,
19
chaque fois accompagns dun chur de trombones
quatre voix en quintes parallles dans le grave.
Les stations successives comportent des passages
narratifs confis aux trois voix solistes et au rcitant, qui
parle en latin. L
/
ukaszewski identifie par des couleurs
donnes chaque partie soliste. La partie de lvangliste,
crite pour une voix de contretnor particulirement
aigu, est toujours double par une clarinette basse ; de
mme la partie de tnor, celle de Pilate, par le contre-
basson loctave ou deux octaves plus bas, et celle de la
basse / le Christ se diffrencie toujours sur le plan de la
texture par une doublure la flte alto. Avec un symbo-
lisme simple mais efficace, au moment de la douzime
station o le Christ incline la tte ( Consummatum
est Tout est accompli ), la flte alto continue
jouer seule. Sur le plan musical, lme a quitt le corps.
La composante rcurrente finale de chaque station est
une complainte pour voix aigus et cordes graves, Qui
passus est pro nobisquivalent plus profond mais tout
aussi austre du refrain initial pour voix dhommes. Vient
ensuite une transition entre chaque station pour quatuor
de bois et quintes tenues bourdonnantes aux cors et aux
cordes graves. Ce passage rcurrent, bas sur un air
traditionnel polonais, avec des effets de hoquet dans le
style mdival dans lcriture pour instruments vent,
est comparable aux promenades des Tableaux dune
exposition de Moussorgski. Cest un espace neutre pour
lauditeur, dpourvu de texte et de voix, o L
/
ukaszewski
nous mne la station suivante. Pour le compositeur, ces
passages informes entre les stations [jouent] le rle
dune remise zro . Ce qui change dune reprise
lautre des matriels dans la Via Crucis, cest la manire
dont L
/
ukaszewski ralentit peu peu le tempo de chaque
rapparition successive. La premire fois quelle apparat,
on entend une danse alerte et bondissante, marque
Allegro, q =120. sa dernire apparition, la fin de
20
la treizime station, on entend un chant lugubre
mlancolique, q =4046.
L
/
ukaszewski ajuste le tempo et la dynamique avec un
dernier lment essentiel de chaque station. Dans les deux
ou trois premires, ce nest pas apparent. Ds la
quatrime, de solides accords tutti commencent dire
quelque chose lauditeur, car leur nombre correspond
celui de la station. Ils prcdent chaque annonce de la
station par une voix dhomme, toujours plus dominatrice.
On dirait des coups de marteaux et L
/
ukaszewski fait passer
le tempo de Grave, q =40/50 au dbut Moderato,
q =90 la station 12. Pour les deux dernires stations, on
revient toutefois au tempo Grave et les itrations de cet
accord, dans la mort du Christ, ont perdu leur forte
insistance.
Aux stations 3, 7 et 9, sur le plan musical, L
/
ukaszewski
nous guide encore davantage travers lhistoire. Ce sont
les trois stations o tombe Jsus, et les accords en forme
de coups de marteau sont suivis uniquement par des
quintes diminues rugissantes et hargneuses des
cuivresune la troisime station, deux la septime et
trois la neuvime. Ce sont des indices musicaux pour
tablir une diffrence ultrieurement chaque station, car
ce sont les seuls o le texte de la narration provient de
Isae 53. Ces passages sont crits uniquement pour voix a
cappella et couvrent toute la tessiture de lcriture chorale
avec des invocations solistes au milieu dun clapotis de
clusters soutenus huit voix.
Un clapotis sonore de clusters analogue survient dans
la station la plus longue, la douzime, lorsque les bois et
les cuivres remplacent leurs instruments par des ocarinas.
Angoissants et dsincarns, et sensiblement diffrents des
chorals docarina bien accords dans le deuxime
mouvement du Concerto pour violon de Ligeti,
L
/
ukaszewski prpare avec une loquence lancinante la
mort du Christ.
La quatorzime station omet le chur et les solistes au
profit du passage parl le plus long du rcitant. Le solennel
solo de cor anglais qui se faufile entre ces paroles est une
berceuse de Nol polonaise, Jezus malusienkicitation
qui symbolise, selon L
/
ukaszewski, la naissance une vie
nouvelle aprs la mort du corps .
Dans sa Passion selon saint Jean, Arvo Prt emmne
lauditeur dans un voyage inbranlable, o les tonalits
et les textures sont parfaitement contrles. Aprs 65
minutes dune raret calcule autour de la mineur, leffet
du chur final, qui entre avec violence en r majeur,
peut tre incroyablement librateur. L
/
ukaszewski fait un
peu la mme chose avec sa quinzime station pour la
Rsurrection, mais il est beaucoup plus expansif avec son
matriel cet endroit et aussi avec tout ce qui a prcd.
Avec un clat presque cinmatographique, le chur
marche tout dabord avec prudence, puis avec de plus en
plus dassurance vers la lumire de la rsurrection du
Christ. Les cors, enfin librs de leurs bourdons presque
constants de quintes apparies, sont en tte de chaque
nouvel accord avec un lan harmonique brucknrien.
Ensuite, L
/
ukaszewski nous apporte la dlivrance
cataclysmique dut majeur, laccord de la rsurrection
dans la liturgie polonaise le dimanche de Pques. Elle est
mene par lorguetutta la forzajusqu ce point
silencieux dans la tension et la tristesse de la Passion.
partir de l, le chur et lorgue montrent le chemin
jusqu une reprise du dbutcette fois avec le Christ en
victoire et en majest, et sur un dernier accord extatique
qui clate avec lambigut du majeur et du mineur.
MEURIG BOWEN 2009
Traduction MARIE-STELLA PRIS
21
N
ICHT JEDER stimmt der Verallgemeinerung, dass
Musik und Mathe zueinander gehren sofort zu.
Fr talentierte Musiker, die traumatische Erinner-
ungen an quadratische Gleichungen haben, sollte es
vielleicht eher heien, dass Musik und Arithmetik
zueinander gehren. Denn es kann gar keinen Zweifel
daran geben, dass Musik auf einem ganz fundamentalen
Niveau zahlenbestimmt istvom Zhlen der einzelnen
Schlge in einem Takt bis zum Zhlen der acht Noten
einer Tonleiter.
Zahlenverhltnisse und grere strukturelle Mglich-
keiten haben die Komponisten durch die Jahrhunderte
hinweg fasziniert. Die Musikwissenschaft hat sich in
Analysen von Bachs Vorliebe fr die Zahl 3 und deren
Symbolik geradezu ausgetobt. Es ist gezeigt worden, dass
Dufays isorhythmische Motette Nuper rosarum flores, die
1436 anlsslich der Einweihung des Doms von Florenz
entstand, auf den Proportionsverhltnissen des Grund-
risses des Gebudes beruht. Auch in der Moderne, etwa
beim Serialismus und bei anderen Formen, sind immer
wieder Tonhhe, Rhythmus und bestimmte Zahlenmuster
miteinander verknpft worden.
Daher ist es interessant, dass die Zahlen 7 und 14, die
so eng mit der Passionsgeschichte zusammenhngen,
nicht mehr Komponisten inspiriert haben; es knnten
doch sicherlich alle mglichen strukturellen Gebilde,
besonders grere, aus diesen Zahlen abgeleitet werden.
Haydn komponierte eine lngere, siebenstzige Medi-
tation, sowohl als Streichquartett wie auch als Kantate,
ber die Sieben Letzten Worte (tatschlich sieben kurze
Stze), die Christus am Kreuz sprach. James MacMillan
folgte 1993 diesem Beispiel mit seinem bemerkenswerten
Werk fr Chor und Streichorchester (eingespielt von
Polyphony fr Hyperion, CDA67460).
Wichtige Werke, die sich auf die 14 Kreuzwegstationen
beziehen, knnen ebenfalls an einer Hand abgezhlt
werden. Da ist einmal Liszts Via Crucisebenso wie
Haydns Werk existiert dieses Passionswerk in ver-
schiedenen Formen, die berhmteste ist fr Chor und
Orgel gesetzt. Dann gibt es Marcel Duprs Le chemin de la
croix, op. 29, eine liturgische Sequenz fr Orgel. William
Mathias Orgelkonzert ist auf den 14 Stationen aufgebaut
und 14 Komponisten lieferten 2004 fr ein Werk fr das
australische Vokalensemble The Song Company jeweils
einzelne Beitrge.
Sind es die offenkundigen rmisch-katholischen
Verbindungen, die die Komponisten so gebremst haben,
das strukturelle Potenzial der 14 Kreuzwegstationen
wahrzunehmen? Schlielich folgt der Ablaufplan von
Mel Gibsons blutigem und kontroversem Film The
Passion of the Christ ziemlich genau den 14 Stationen. Die
protestantischen, lutherischen und kaum- oder nicht-
glubigen Komponisten haben stets allgemeinere
Passionstexte und den Stabat-Mater-Text vorgezogen
liegt das daran, dass sie der katholischen Verehrung
fernbleiben wollten?
Pawel
/
L
/
ukaszewskis Verbindungen zum polnischen
Katholizismus knnen nicht verleugnet werden. Er
stammt aus der sdpolnischen Stadt Cze

stochowa, die fr
viele die geistliche Landeshauptstadt ist; gleichzeitig ist sie
die Heimstatt des Bildes der Schwarzen Madonna, das sich
im Jasna Gra Kloster befindet. L
/
ukaszewski besttigt
sofort, dass es ein wichtiger Einfluss fr ihn war, in
der Nhe der heiligsten Reliquie Polens und inmitten
eines steten Pilgerstroms aufzuwachsen. Es hat sein
musikalisches und spirituelles Dasein geprgt und
obwohl er and der Fryderyk-Chopin-Musikhochschule in
Warschau Cello und Komposition studiert hat, besteht
der Groteil seines Oeuvres bisher aus geistlichen
Chorwerken (siehe Hyperion CDA67639). Zudem ist er
22
L
/
UKASZEWSKI Via Crucis
Musikdirektor des Musica Sacra Chors an der Warschauer
Kathedrale.
Das Jasna Gra Kloster und das Bild der Schwarzen
Madonna gehen weit in die Geschichte zurck. Es knnen
nur Mutmaungen darber angestellt werden, was die
Entstehungsgeschichte des geschwrzten Bildes der
Heiligen Jungfrau und des Jesuskindes ist und wo es
aufbewahrt wurde, bevor es 1382, dem Jahr der Grndung
des Klosters, nach Cze

stochowa berfhrt wurde. Es

heit, dass der Evangelist Lukas das Bild an einem
Zypressentisch, der der Heiligen Familie gehrte, gemalt
habe. Dann wurde es angeblich 326 n. Chr. von Jerusalem
nach Konstantinopel befrdert, wo seine wundersamen
Krfte die eindringenden Sarazenen abschreckte. Auf hn-
liche Art und Weise war die Anwesenheit der Schwarzen
Madonna spter in Cze

stochowa dabei frderlich, eine

groe Armee von schwedischen Eindringlingen zu
vertreiben. Daraufhin erklrte Knig Kasimir die Schwarze
Madonna im folgenden Jahr, 1656, zur Knigin und
Beschtzerin Polens.
Sowohl das Kloster als auch das Bild hngen auch mit
neuerlichen Geschehen zusammen, die fr jemanden wie
L
/
ukaszewski, der dort in den 1970er und 80er Jahren
aufwuchs, von direkter Bedeutung sind. Whrend der
deutschen Besatzung im Zweiten Weltkrieg pilgerten die
Glubigen als Zeichen des Widerstands zum Jasna Gra
Kloster. In dem Kloster wird die Asche des Priesters Jerzy
Popiel
/
uszko aufbewahrt, der als Seelsorger fr die
Warschauer Stahlarbeiter ttig war und fr die Gewerk-
schaft Solidarnos c eintrat und 1984 vom polnischen
Staatssicherheitsdienst ermordet wurde. Lech Wal
/
e

sa gab
1982 seine Friedensnobelpreismedaille als Weihgabe an
das Kloster weiter und Johannes Paul II. feierte auf den
Stufen des Klosters eine Messe fr eine Million Menschen,
als er 1979 Papst wurde.
All dies ist in Bezug auf das Werk auf der vorliegenden
CD von Bedeutung, da die ekstatische, erlste Sieges-
stimmung am Ende des Werks (Christus vincit dm) nicht
nur in buchstblicher, religiser Weise verstanden werden
sollte. Die Reise, die die Via Crucis bedeutetder
Konflikt, das Leiden, die Demtigung, der Trotz, die
Auferstehungkann auch als Widerspiegelung des Sieges
des polnischen Katholizismus ber den Kommunismus
verstanden werden. Das wird jedenfalls in Jerzy Duda-
Graczs Gemlden fr die Kreuzwegstationen in Jasna Gra
ausgedrckt, die zwar unabhngig von aber zur selben Zeit
wie L
/
ukaszewskis Werk entstanden. Ein eindringliches
Bild wie Jasnorgrska Golgata, das auf dem Deckblatt
des vorliegenden Beihefts abgedruckt ist, politisiert
und aktualisiert die Ikonographie der Kreuzigung. Der
polnische Papst Karol Wojtyl
/
a ist in dieser Sterbensszene
zusammen mit weiteren Geistlichenwahrscheinlich
aus der Geschichte und Gegenwart von Jasna Gra,
einem Konzentrationslagerhftling und dem Bildnis der
Schwarzen Madonna abgebildet.
L
/
ukaszewskis Kreuzweg ist um eine Station lnger als
die jeweiligen Werke von Liszt oder Dupr. Das erklrt
sich durch die 15. Station des leeren Grabs und der
Auferstehung, die die katholische Kirche erst in neuerer
Zeit mit einbezogen hateine Hinzufgung, die der
Ostergeschichte am Ostersonntag einen erlsenden
Abschluss verleiht. L
/
ukaszewski verwendet die 15
Stationen als relativ rigides Gerst, so dass das Werk, das
eine Lnge von 55 Minuten hat, sich, wie er sagt, wie ein
Mega-Rondo entwickelt.
Wiederholungenvon einer Station zur nchsten
sind fr das Werk, das einen starken anwachsenden und
rituellen Charakter hat, zentral. Bei jeder Station, auer
der letzten, erklingt eine genau berechnete Sequenz von
wiederkehrenden Motiven und Refrains. Diese sind haupt-
23
schlich durch Texturabgrenzungen bestimmtSolo /
Chor, hohe / tiefe Stimmen, A-cappella / instrumental
aber auch durch Tempo-Beziehungen und kontrastier-
ende Stimmungen.
Jede Station wird mit einer feierlichen, dreistimmigen
Passage fr Mnnerstimmen angekndigt: herbe Quart-
parallelen (wobei jeweils eine rein und eine bermig
ist), die einen bewusst altertmlichen, um nicht zu sagen:
aggressiven (als ob die Snger Pilatus umherstolzierende
Zenturionen wren), Effekt erzielen. Dieser strenge
Anfang schmilzt dann in ein flehendes Adoramus te
fr Sopran- und Altstimmen, die stets von einem
vierstimmigen Posaunenchor in tiefen Quintparallelen
begleitet werden.
In den aufeinander folgenden Stationen erklingen
jeweils Passagen fr drei Solostimmen mit Erzhler, der
auf Latein spricht. L
/
ukaszewski ordnet jeder Solo-
stimme eine bestimmte Farbe zu. So wird der Part des
Evangelisten, der fr einen besonders hohen Countertenor
angelegt ist, immer von einer Bassklarinette verdoppelt.
Der Tenor, Pilatus, wird mit einem Kontrafagott kom-
biniert, das entweder eine oder auch zwei Oktaven tiefer
liegt. Der Bass, Christus, wird stets von einer Altflte
verdoppelt. Wenn Christus bei der 12. Station den Kopf
nieder senkt (Consummatum estEs ist vollbracht),
spielt die Altflte allein weiterein einfaches, aber
wirkungsvolles Stilmittel. Die Seele hat den Krper
musikalisch verlassen.
Die letzte wiederkehrende Komponente bei jeder
Station ist ein Lamento fr hohe Stimmen und tiefe
Streicher, Qui passus est pro nobisein nachden-
klicheres, aber ebenso strenges Gegenstck zu dem
Erffnungsrefrain fr Mnnerstimmen. Darauf folgt eine
berleitung von einer Station zur nchsten, die jeweils
fr das Holzblserquartett, Hrner, die Haltetne im
Quintabstand spielen, und tiefe Streicher gesetzt sind.
Diese wiederkehrende Passage, die auf einer polnischen
Volksmelodie basiert und mittelalterliche, Hoketus-
hnliche Effekte in den Blasinstrumenten aufweist, ist
vergleichbar mit den Promenade-Teilen in den Bildern
einer Ausstellung von Mussorgsky. Es handelt sich
hier um einen neutralen Bereich, frei von Texten und
Stimmen, von dem aus L
/
ukaszewski uns zur nchsten
Station fhrt. Diese amorphen Passagen zwischen den
Stationen, schreibt der Komponist, sorgen dafr, dass
die Grundeinstellung wieder eingenommen wird. Was
sich hier von anderen wiederholten Passagen der Via
Crucis unterscheidet, ist, dass L
/
ukaszewski das Tempo
allmhlich ruhiger werden lsst. Wenn diese Passage das
erste Mal erklingt, hren wir einen flinken, springenden
Tanz, der mit Allegro und q =120 markiert ist. Wenn sie
das letzte Mal am Ende der 13. Station erklingt, so hren
wir ein trauervolles Klagelied mit q =4046.
L
/
ukaszewski richtet das Tempo und die Dynamik mit
Hilfe eines letzten, entscheidenden Elements am Ende
24
STEPHEN LAYTON und PAWEL
/
L
/
UKASZEWSKI
jeder Station ein. In den ersten zwei oder drei Stationen
fllt das noch nicht weiter auf. Bei der vierten jedoch
machen sich beharrliche Tutti-Akkorde bemerkbar, da
ihre Anzahl der Nummer der jeweiligen Station ent-
sprechen. Sie erklingen vor den Stationseinleitungen des
Mnnerchors und werden immer dominanter. Sie sind
blockartige Hammerschlge und L
/
ukaszewski lsst das
Tempo vom anfnglichen Grave, q =40/50, zu Moderato,
q =90, bei der 12. Station hin anziehen. Bei den letzten
beiden Stationen geht er jedoch zum Grave-Tempo zurck
und bei Christi Tod ist das laute Insistieren der Akkorde
nicht mehr vernehmbar.
Bei den Stationen 3, 7 und 9 illustriert L
/
ukaszewski
die Geschichte besonders. Es sind dies die drei Stationen,
bei denen Jesus flltauf die Hammer-Akkorde folgen
bissige, schnappende, von den Blechblsern dominierte
verminderte Quinten: eine bei der 3., zwei bei der 7. und
drei bei der 9. Station. Es sind dies musikalische Schilder,
die die darauffolgenden Unterschiede anzeigen, da nur
hier der erzhlte Text aus dem Jesaja 53 stammt. Diese
Passagen sind ausschlielich fr A-cappella-Singstimmen
komponiert, in denen die Spannweite des Chorsatzes
ausgedehnt wird und wo Solo-Anrufungen innerhalb von
ausgehaltenen achtstimmigen Clustern erklingen.
Ein hnlicher, clusterartiger Klang kommt in der
lngsten Station, Nr. 12, zum Ausdruck, wo Holz- und
Blechblser von Okarinen abgelst werden. Diese klingen
unheimlich und krperlos und unterscheiden sich
deutlich von den bodenstndigeren Okarina-Chorlen im
zweiten Satz von Ligetis Violinkonzert. L
/
ukaszewski setzt
sie jedoch ein, um mit ihnen auf kunstvolle Art und Weise
auf Christi Tod vorzubereiten.
In der 14. Station erklingen weder Chor noch Solisten,
sondern stattdessen eine der lngsten Passagen des
sprechenden Erzhlers. Das Englischhornsolo, das in
diese Worte eingeflochten ist, ist ein polnisches
Weihnachtswiegelied, Jezus malusienkiein Zitat, das
laut L
/
ukaszewski die Geburt zu einem neuen Leben nach
dem Tod des Krpers symbolisiert.
Arvo Prt schickt in seiner Vertonung der Johannes-
passion den Hrer auf eine tonale und texturbetonte
Reise, die stark kontrolliert ist. Nach 65 Minuten
berechneter Sprlichkeit um a-Moll herum kann der
Effekt seines Schlusschores, der in D-Dur auflodert, un-
geheuer befreiend wirken. L
/
ukaszewski macht bei seiner
15. Station etwas hnliches, obwohl sein Material sowohl
vorher als auch an diesem Punkt sehr viel ausgedehnter
ist.
Mit fast filmischer Lebhaftigkeit schreitet der Chor
zunchst behutsam vorwrts, und dann immer
bestimmter dem Licht der Auferstehung Christi entgegen.
Die Hrner sind nun endlich von ihren fast permanenten
gehaltenen Quinten erlst und leiten zu jedem neuen
Akkord mit einem Bruckner-artigen harmonischen
Antrieb hin. Und dann lsst L
/
ukaszewski die umwlzende
Befreiung nach C-Dur stattfinden, den Auferstehungs-
akkord in der polnischen Liturgie. Dies wird von der Orgel
tutta la forza angefhrt, die bis zu diesem Punkt in der
Spannung und Trauer der Passionsgeschichte geschwiegen
hat. Chor und Orgel leiten nun in eine Reprise des Anfangs
hineindiesmal erscheint Christus majesttisch und
siegreich und es erklingt ein letzter ekstatischer Akkord,
der die Zweideutigkeit von Dur und Moll kraftvoll darstellt.
MEURIG BOWEN 2009
bersetzung VIOLA SCHEFFEL
25
Also available on Hyperion
PAWEL
/
L
/
UKASZEWSKI (b 1968)
Beatus vir; Two Lenten Motets; Ave Maria; O Antiphons;
Psalmus 102 Benedic, anima mea, Domino;
Nunc dimittis
THE CHOIR OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE /
STEPHEN LAYTON conductor
Compact Disc CDA67639
This is a lovely disc of enchanting choral music Here
is a composer who really is a true master of the art of
a cappella writing In saying that it has been difficult
to draw this CD out of my player, so frequently have I
returned to it, I can offer no higher praise (Gramophone)
Laytons affinity with this radiant, accessible music is clear
as he guides the Trinity College Choir, which sings with
passion and purity throughout the programme (BBC
Music Magazine) With performances as sonorous and
acutely placed as these, they come across with a winning
fervour. Laytons advocacy is certainly vindicated
(The Daily Telegraph)
26
Si vous souhaitez de plus amples dtails sur ces enregistrements, et sur les nombreuses autres publications du label Hyperion,
veuillez nous crire Hyperion Records Ltd, PO Box 25, London SE9 1AX, England, ou nous contacter par courrier lectronique
info@hyperion-records.co.uk, et nous serons ravis de vous faire parvenir notre catalogue gratuitement.
Le catalogue Hyprion est galement accessible sur Internet : www.hyperion-records.co.uk
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Recorded in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge, on 29 and 30 March 2008
Recording Engineer DAVE HINITT
Recording Producer ADRIAN PEACOCK
Booklet Editor TIM PARRY
Executive Producer SIMON PERRY
P& CHyperion Records Ltd, London, MMIX
Front illustration: Station 12, Dying,
from The Golgotha of Jasna Gra at the Beginning of the Third Millennium (Cze

stochowa)
by Jerzy Duda-Gracz (19412004)
by kind permission of Jasna Gra Monastery, Cze

stochowa, Poland.
Other illustrations in this booklet are from the same source,
printed by kind permission of Jasna Gra Monastery, Cze

stochowa, Poland:
page 2 Station 17 Galilea
page 5 Station 14 The tomb
page 6 Station 10 Jesus is stripped of his clothes
page 20 Station 18 Ascension
Hyperion Records would like to thank the Polish Cultural Institute
for their co-operation in making this recording.
All Hyperion and Helios compact discs may be purchased over the internet at
www.hyperion-records.co.uk
where you can also listen to extracts of all recordings and browse an up-to-date catalogue
27
Copyright subsists in all Hyperion recordings and it is illegal to copy them, in whole or in part, for any purpose whatsoever, without
permission from the copyright holder, Hyperion Records Ltd, PO Box 25, London SE9 1AX, England. Any unauthorized copying
or re-recording, broadcasting, or public performance of this or any other Hyperion recording will constitute an infringement of
copyright. Applications for a public performance licence should be sent to Phonographic Performance Ltd, 1 Upper James Street,
London W1F 9DE
PAWEL
/
L
/
UKASZEWSKI
VIA CRUCIS
1 INTRODUCTION [0'58]
I
2 Jesus is condemned to death [0'36] STATION 3 Universa turba [2'37]
II
4 Jesus takes up the Cross [0'30] STATION 5 Dicebat autem Jesus ad omnes [1'56]
III
6 Jesus falls the first time [0'40] STATION 7 Quis credidit auditui nostro? [3'35]
IV
8 Jesus meets his Blessed Mother [0'35] STATION 9 Senex Simeon prophetizans [2'17]
V
bl Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross [0'35] STATION bm Exeuntes autem invenerunt [1'21]
VI
bn Veronica wipes the face of Jesus [0'33] STATION bo Auferet Dominus Deus lacrymam [2'12]
VII
bp Jesus falls the second time [0'43] STATION bq Vere languores nostros ipse tulit [3'04]
VIII
br The women of Jerusalem weep for Jesus [0'36] STATION bs Sequebatur autem illum multa turba [3'37]
IX
bt Jesus falls the third time [0'46] STATION bu Omnes nos quasi oves erravimus [3'25]
X
cl Jesus is stripped of his clothes [0'35] STATION cm Milites ergo cum crucifixissent eum [1'54]
XI
cn Jesus is nailed to the Cross [0'32] STATION co Et perducunt illum Golgotha locum [2'01]
XII
cp Jesus dies on the Cross [0'36] STATION cq Stabat autem iuxta crucem Jesu mater [6'23]
XIII
cr Jesus is taken down from the Cross [0'52] STATION cs Judaei ergo [4'02]
XIV
ct Jesus is laid in the tomb [1'05] STATION cu Post haec autem rogavit Pilatum Joseph [2'27]
XV
dl The Resurrection STATION Una autem sabbati [3'05]
dm
CHRISTUS VINCIT
[0'56]
CDA67724
MADE IN ENGLAND
www.hyperion-records.co.uk
HYPERION RECORDS LIMITED
.
LONDON
.
ENGLAND
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NOTES EN FRANAIS + MIT DEUTSCHEM KOMMENTAR
CDA67724
Duration 55'24
DDD
PAWEL
/
L
/
UKASZEWSKI
(b 1968)
VIA CRUCIS
IESTYN DAVIES countertenor
ALLAN CLAYTON tenor
ANDREW FOSTER-WILLIAMS baritone
ROGER ALLAM narrrator
POLYPHONY
BRITTEN SINFONIA
STEPHEN LAYTON